RANJI TROPHY | Azharuddeen’s memorable comeback takes Kerala to a challenging total

Mohammed Azharuddeen's impressive knock of 85 runs helps Kerala dominate Chhattisgarh in the Ranji Trophy cricket match.

Mohammed Azharuddeen’s comeback into the Ranji team, after a four-year hiatus, turned memorable with a cultured knock of 85 which was the cornerstone of Kerala’s dominant day against Chhattisgarh in their Ranji Trophy cricket match at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International stadium here on Saturday.

His sweetly timed shots weren’t a revelation on this day, but his temperament was. Azharuddeen’s well-paced innings carried Kerala to a challenging 350. Medium pacer M.D. Nidheesh, with a probing spell at the fag end, took two wickets in an over, reduced the host to 100 for four and enabled Kerala finish the second day on a high.

If not for a defiant unbeaten 50 by Sanjeet Desai, Chhattisgarh would have been in deeper trouble. Sanjeet repaired the innings along with Ashutosh Singh (31) after the host lost openers, Shashank Chandrakar and Rishab Tiwari cheaply. Sanjeet added 75 with Ashutosh for the second wicket to frustrate the visitor. But Nidheesh bowled with sustained hostility in his second spell and dismissed Ashutosh and Amandeep Khare in the same over.

The day’s opening session belonged to both Azharuddeen and to the young medium pacer Ashish Chouhan, who became the first bowler from Chhattisgarh to take five wickets (five for 100) on debut.

Ashish gave Chhattisgarh a dream start when he had Sanju Samson, on his overnight score of 57, snicking a catch to wicketkeeper K.D. Eknath in the second over. 

Azharuddeen got into his groove pretty early and struck two crisp boundaries off Shashank Singh. Vishnu Vinod for a change was willing to graft while Azhar played with more aggression.

However, Azhar by his standards played with a lot of restraint and put away only the bad balls. The seventh wicket stand between Azhar and Vishnu added 80, but the latter fell playing a wild hoick to Ashish. Shreyas Gopal was dismissed cheaply by Ashish for five.