Ranji Trophy: Shubman Gill scripts redemption with a fighting century for Punjab

A redemption has been scripted in the domestic circuit amidst the hue and cry over the declining form of Indian stars. The ongoing round of the Ranji Trophy began with Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and mainstays like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Shubman Gill donning their domestic teams' jerseys. On Thursday, the opening day of their respective matches, almost all the batters failed, with headlines focusing on their continued struggles with the red ball, despite the shift in settings from international cricket to the domestic circuit. While the others wait for another opportunity, Shubman Gill took charge in Punjab's second innings against Karnataka, emerging as a lone warrior with an impressive century.

Shubman Gill scores a century against Karnataka as Punjab crumble again

Shubman Gill marked his return to the Ranji Trophy with a brilliant century, steering Punjab's fightback against Karnataka in a challenging situation. The 25-year-old batter faced criticism for his underwhelming performances in the recently concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy, raising concerns about his overseas performance. However, after initial fumble on Day 1 against the Karnataka pacers, the Punjab skipper announced his abilities on Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy clash, scoring a composed century off 159 balls, laced with 14 boundaries and three sixes.

Batting at number three for India in Tests, Gill returned to his familiar opening position for Punjab in this match. In the ongoing match against Karnataka, Punjab’s first innings ended in shambles as they were bundled out for just 55 runs. Gill, captaining the side, was dismissed cheaply for four, caught behind early in the innings. Despite the dismal start, he stepped up in the second innings to anchor Punjab’s recovery. As the Karnataka bowlers once again dismantled Punjab's batting order, Gill stood firm at one end, carrying the innings forward. His lone effort included a crucial 63-run partnership for the seventh wicket with tailender Mayank Markande, pushing Punjab past the 150-run mark.

Gill’s standout performance made him one of the few Indian stars to shine in Round 6 of the Ranji Trophy, especially as other notable names like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Rohit Sharma failed to make an impact with the bat. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja reminded everyone of his class with the ball, delivering a match-winning performance for Saurashtra against Delhi. The all-rounder claimed 12 wickets, finishing with figures of 5/66 in the first innings and 7/38 in the second, leading Saurashtra to a comprehensive victory. In contrast, Rishabh Pant struggled to leave his mark for Delhi, managing only 1 and 17 in his two innings, falling short of expectations on his Ranji Trophy return.