Gujarat inch closer to Ranji semis with big first-innings lead against Saurashtra

NEW DELHI: Jaymeet Patel completed a well-earned century in the morning, but it was wicketkeeper-batter Urvil Patel who dismantled hosts Saurashtra with a blistering 140, pushing Gujarat closer to the Ranji Trophy semi-finals on day three of their quarter-final in Rajkot.

After dismissing Saurashtra for 216, Gujarat piled up a commanding 511 in their first innings, securing a massive 295-run lead—leaving Chintan Gaja’s team in firm control.

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Manan Hingrajia’s gritty 83 off 219 deliveries laid the foundation, while left-hander Jaymeet (103 off 171) ensured stability before Urvil unleashed an attacking masterclass. His 197-ball knock saw him take seasoned Saurashtra seamer Jaydev Unadkat (1/107 in 31 overs) to the cleaners.



Unadkat, rarely taken apart so brutally, conceded 14 boundaries and two sixes to Urvil. The aggressive right-hander struck half of his 17 boundaries off the Saurashtra skipper while also punishing experienced spinner Dharmendra Jadeja (5/120 in 37.1 overs), smashing him for two of his four sixes.

Urvil’s fearless approach eventually led to his dismissal—stumped while attempting a fifth six off Jadeja.

At stumps, Saurashtra were 33 for no loss, reducing the deficit to 262, but the task ahead remains monumental.

To stand a chance, Saurashtra will need to amass at least 450 runs on day four to set a defendable fourth-innings target of around 220. However, with the pitch slowing down, scoring at a brisk pace will be a challenge. Much will depend on how Chirag Jani and Harvik Desai approach the morning session.

In the final hour of day three, caution prevailed as Saurashtra managed only 33 runs in 16 overs, highlighting the difficulty of their uphill battle.

Brief Scores: Saurashtra 216 and 2nd Innings 33/0 in 16 overs.Gujarat 1st Innings 511 in 159.1 overs (Jaymeet Patel 103, Urvil Patel 140. D Jadeja 5/120, J Unadkat 1/107).