Ranji Trophy Day 4: Mohammed Shami takes 7, good news for LSG & ex-MI spinners shines

Vidarbha, who are at the top of Group B in Elite Group, have the most points (28) after the conclusion of the first leg of Ranji Trophy 24/25.

So we have witnessed the conclusion of the first leg of the ongoing Ranji Trophy. As you may already know, the 2024/25 Ranji season is divided into two halves, with five rounds finishing in just over a month. The fifth round was hyped around the much-awaited return of Mohammed Shami, who played jos first competitive game after the famous ODI World Cup 2023 in Ahmedabad. Incredibly, he marked his return with a superb seven-wicket haul in the match, taking Bengal to a slender 11-run win.

Apart from this, Baroda and Vidarbha continued their winning run, while defending champions Mumbai also had a 9-wicket triumph over Services.

Mohammed Shami takes Bengal to a win

Mohammed Shami’s recent stellar performance in the Ranji Trophy has injected a much-needed boost of confidence into India’s pace attack ahead of the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia. The fiery pacer’s four-wicket haul in the first innings of Bengal’s Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh was heartening to witness.

In the match, Bengal, batting first, posted a respectable total of 228 runs, with Shahbaz Ahmed’s blistering 92 being the highlight. Madhya Pradesh, in response, were bundled out for 167 runs, with Shami’s impressive figures of 4/54 proving to be the difference. Bengal extended their lead in the second innings, scoring 276 runs. Shami’s valuable contribution with the bat, scoring a quickfire 37, was a moment showed that he still has that pinch-hitting abilities with him. Madhya Pradesh, chasing a target of 338 runs, fell short by 11 runs, despite half-centuries from skipper Shubham Sharma and Subhranshu Senapati.

However, Shami brought his best on Day 4, rattling up experienced Rajat Patidar. He even took Anubhav Agarwal’s wicket in the dying moments of Day 3. While Shami’s economy rate in the second innings was on the higher side, his wicket-taking ability remains undeniable. It must be noted that Shahbaz Ahmed was the ultimate star performer as he took fifer on the last day.

‘Captain’ Ayush Badoni smashes double ton, good news for LSG

Ayush Badoni, who plays for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL, has just played a remarkable innings in the Ranji Trophy. Playing for Delhi against Jharkhand, the 24-year-old scored his first double century, smashing 16 fours and 10 sixes in a brilliant display of batting. The youngster came to the crease when Delhi was struggling at 98 for 4 wickets, facing Jharkhand’s strong first innings total of 382.

Showing remarkable composure under pressure, Badoni not only steadied the ship but went on to score a magnificent double hundred. He needed just 216 balls to reach this milestone, making it an even more impressive achievement. Incredibly, just before this clash, Badoni replaced Himmat Singh as Delhi’s skipper in first-class cricket.

This innings is particularly great news for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), who recently retained Badoni for ₹4 crore. The timing of this double century couldn’t have been better, as it proves that LSG’s faith in the young player was well-placed. While other teams are spending huge amounts on local players, LSG has managed to keep a rising star for a relatively modest sum.

Poor from Karnataka, fifer from ex-MI spinner

In their match against Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka had a golden opportunity to have an outright win. They needed 261 runs on the last day, with more than 60 overs to spare. Prior to that, Shreyas Gopal, who has played for the likes of Mumbai Indians (MI), Rajasthan Royals (RR) and even Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), claimed a 5/122. He even dismissed well-set Aryan Juyal (109) and used all the guile on what was a decent track in Lucknow.

MI would be hunting for a couple of spinners at the IPL 2025 Auction and Gopal might not be a bad option too. Karnataka, meanwhile, played out for a draw as they remain 178/5, with Manish Pandey and Abhinav Manohar remaining unbeaten.