Ishan Kishan's Century Lifts Jharkhand Against Tamil Nadu

Coimbatore, Oct 15 (PTI) - In an impressive display of resilience and skill, Jharkhand captain Ishan Kishan delivered a crucial century, leading his team to a respectable 307 for six against Tamil Nadu on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy season. Despite having lost his spot in the Indian squad across formats, Kishan remains undeterred, showcasing his immense ability with an unbeaten 125 off 183 balls, partnering with Sahil Raj, who scored 64 not out, at stumps. Jharkhand found themselves in a precarious position early in the day, risking a sub-200 total, but the steadfast pair of Kishan and Raj forged an unbroken 150-run partnership for the seventh wicket to pull the visitors out of trouble. Tamil Nadu's left-arm pacer Gurjapneet Singh provided an early breakthrough for the hosts and eventually concluded the day's play with three well-earned wickets. Left-arm spinner DT Chandrasekar, making a comeback to Ranji cricket after a decade, also contributed with a couple of wickets for Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, the reigning champions Vidarbha dominated Nagaland, amassing 302 for three by the close of play, guided by a stellar unbeaten 148 from opener Aman Mokhade. Dhruv Shorey's solid knock of 64 and Yash Rathod’s unbeaten 66 further strengthened Vidarbha's position. Over in Kanpur, Andhra’s opener and wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat commenced his Ranji campaign on a high with a robust 144 off 244 deliveries against Uttar Pradesh, his innings peppered with 13 boundaries. Number three batsman Shaik Rasheed also played a vital innings, staying unbeaten on 94 as the day's play concluded. Brief scores: Jharkhand 307/6 in 90 overs (Ishan Kishan batting 125, Sahil Raj batting 64; Gurjanpreet Singh 3/51) versus Tamil Nadu. In Bengaluru: Vidarbha 302/3 in 85 overs (Aman Mokhade batting 148; Saurav Kumar 2/57) versus Nagaland. In Kanpur: Andhra 289/3 in 85.5 overs (KS Bharat 142, Shaik Rasheed batting 84; Aqib Khan 2/50) versus Uttar Pradesh. In Cuttack: Odisha 205/5 in 89.5 overs (Rajesh Dhuper batting 76; Atit Seth 2/41) versus Baroda.