Ranji Trophy 2025: Delhi Batters Make Merry On Homecoming Against Toothless Himachal Attack

Delhi carried their rich batting form from Hyderabad into Kotla, dictating terms in the clash against Himachal Pradesh in the second round of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 on Saturday. Four of Delhi’s top five batters – Arpit Rana, Sanat Sangwan, Yash Dhull and Ayush Doseja – notched up fifties.

However, their homecoming could have been sweeter if Dhull and Sangwan had not thrown away their wickets. At the end of the day, the hosts posted a commanding 306/4 on a pitch that offered little to the bowlers.

With his place under scrutiny, opener Arpit Rana responded in style – batting fearlessly and cashing in on every scoring opportunity that came his way. He smashed his maiden first-class half-century, scoring 64 off 110 – his best score after five Ranji

matches for Delhi.

Arpit showed no mercy on the likes of Vaibhav Arora and Arpit Guleria but fell prey to Divesh Sharma after lunch.

Rana’s dismissal made way for Dhull, whose dynamic approach provided the extra push to the Delhi innings after lunch. The latter batted with intent, scoring a quick 61 off 66 deliveries with the help of 11 fours.

Dhull’s aggression kept Delhi on top, but his dismissal triggered a brief wobble, as skipper Ayush Badoni followed soon after, edging a loose drive off Arora to first slip.

Meanwhile, Sangwan anchored the innings for most of the first day’s play. His 79 off 170 balls was the glue that held the innings together, a composed effort that contrasted sharply with the more fluent strokeplay of his partners.

Fresh from scores of 211* and 56 against Hyderabad, Sangwan continued his purple patch with another composed innings that underlined his role as the side’s most reliable performer early in the Ranji season.

While others around him preferred flair, Sangwan’s textbook defence and patience provided the stability Delhi needed to post a strong total.

“We actually wanted to bowl first since there was a bit of grass and movement early on. Once we were put in, the plan was simple – survive the new ball and build from there. I’ve always been a defensive player, but I’ve added more back-foot options this season, which helps me stay solid,” Sangwan said after the stumps.

The pitch looked unlike the usual Kotla track, with a fair amount of grass on top, suggesting early assistance for the pacers. Himachal pacer Divesh Sharma made the best use of the condition to trick Sangwan in the 67th over.

Sharma dug in short, but it hardly took off as Sangwan ducked with his bat held awkwardly, only to nick to skipper Ankush Bains behind the wickets.

While Delhi’s batters could not quite convert their starts into big centuries, the depth in their lineup made up for it. An unbeaten 71-run partnership between Ayush Doseja – continuing his rich form after a double hundred on debut and Sahil Mathur helped the hosts tighten their grip heading into day two.

Brief Scores:

Delhi 306/4 (Arpit Rana 64, Sanat Sangwan 79, Yash Dhull 61, Ayush Doseja 51 batting; Divesh Sharma 2/42) vs HP.