Out-of-favour India pacer Mohammed Shami took three wickets in four balls at the end of the day, helping Bengal bowl out Uttarakhand for 213 on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C fixture
on Wednesday.
In response, Bengal had a shaky start, with captain and India Test hopeful Abhimanyu Easwaran getting dismissed on the first ball. The hosts ended the day at 8 for 1 in five overs, with Sudip Chatterjee (1 not out) and Sudip Kumar Gharami (7 not out) surviving some tense moments. Bengal trails Uttarakhand by 205 runs going into the second day.
Sham’s Slow Start
Shami, who had made his comeback in the Duleep Trophy earlier this season, continued his quest for rhythm and consistency after a period marked by injuries and poor form. The 35-year-old veteran toiled for most of the day, bowling 14 overs without much reward, appearing a shadow of his fiery past.
As the leading wicket-taker of the 2023 World Cup, Shami struggled for rhythm and impact through his first four spells. However, he produced a late burst of reverse swing magic. Captain Abhimanyu Easwaran’s decision to bring Shami back for a fifth spell proved crucial as Uttarakhand’s lower-order eighth-wicket partnership began counter-attacking to take the team past 200.
Almost A Hat-Trick
Shami found some reverse swing under the fading sunlight and dramatically cleaned up the tail. He first bowled Janmejay Joshi with a sharp in-swinger that uprooted the middle stump, then found an edge from Rajan Kumar off the next delivery. Although he missed a hat-trick, he returned to bowl Devendra Singh Bora in the same over, ending with 3/37 from 15.5 overs. These final four balls salvaged an otherwise ordinary day for Shami, who had struggled for penetration on a brown, grassless Eden Gardens pitch offering little movement.
Earlier, even Uttarakhand’s tailenders negotiated Shami comfortably as the Bengal attack searched for inspiration. It was rookie pace-bowling all-rounder Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal (4/54) who impressed the most with his lively pace, late swing, and control. The 25-year-old, who made his debut last season and scored a century in their last Ranji match against Punjab, removed the top order after Shami and Akash Deep failed to make early inroads despite being handed the new ball.
Ishan Porel (3/40) provided solid support, claiming the crucial wicket of Uttarakhand’s top-scorer Bhupen Lalwani, who compiled a patient 71 off 128 balls with nine boundaries before edging one in the final session. Lalwani’s dismissal triggered a collapse, with Uttarakhand slumping from 179/6 to 213 all out, thanks to Shami’s late burst.
Shami, who had leg surgery in 2024, last featured for India during their Champions Trophy triumph earlier in March before enduring a disappointing IPL campaign. Since then, he has been overlooked for the Test series in England, the Asia Cup, the West Indies Test series, and now the upcoming white-ball series in Australia starting Sunday.
For much of the final hour, Bengal struggled to wrap up the tail, with Abhay Negi (28 not out) and Joshi adding valuable lower-order runs before Shami’s late spell ended the innings in the 73rd over.
Surprisingly, the wicket looked devoid of grass and carried a dry, brownish tinge, a stark contrast to its greener appearance on the eve of the match. The Bengal team management’s late decision to shave off the grass raised a few eyebrows, especially after opting for a four-pronged pace attack featuring the returning Shami, alongside Akash Deep, Ishan Porel, and Jaiswal.
Ranji Trophy Brief Scores:
In Kolkata: Uttarakhand 213 in 72.5 overs (Bhupen Lalwani 71, Abhay Negi 28 not out; Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal 4/54, Mohammed Shami 3/37, Ishan Porel 3/40) vs Bengal 8/1 in 5 overs (Sudip Chatterjee 1 batting, Sudip Kumar Gharami 7 batting).
