Virat Kohli
Skipper Ayush Badoni’s audacious 99 helped Delhi take the first innings lead against Railways after pacer Himanshu Sangwan got the coveted wicket of Virat Kohli on day two of their Group D Ranji Trophy match here on Friday.
Resuming the day at 41/1, Delhi were able to get past Railways’ 241 courtesy a 133-run stand between Badoni (99 off 77) and Sumit Mathur (78 not out off 189). At stumps, Delhi had taken a 93-run lead by reaching 334/7.
Badoni put the opposition bowlers under pressure with a fearless display of stroke-making before falling to a slog sweep of leg-spinner Karn Sharma in the 56th over.
Railways pacers were a tad unlucky in not getting a breakthrough in the first hour of play with Yash Dhull (32 off 69) and Sanat Sangwan living dangerously. After a few streaky boundaries, Dhull played a copybook cover drive before being adjudged leg before wicket off left-arm pacer Rahul Sharma.
Dhull’s dismissal brought Virat Kohli to the middle, drawing a loud roar from the fans. However, the joy of fans was short-lived as the superstar went for an expansive drive off Himanshu Sangwan but the missed the ball completely to see his off-stump uprooted.
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Kohli had drilled a straight boundary the ball before but standing outside the crease, he went for the attack again only to miss the ball that seamed back in slightly.
Sangwan also breached the defences of opener Sanat Sangwan (30 off 81) in the following over leaving Delhi at 97 for four in the 30th over.
Delhi captain Badoni then led from the front to put his team in a strong position. He took the attack to Railways especially left-arm spinner Ayan Chaudhari, dispatching him for three sixes.
He entered into his 90s with back-to-back sixes before mistiming a sweep off Karn Sharma to be caught at short fine-leg on 99. The sweep had yielded him the desired results until his dismissal in the 56th over.
Badoni’s innings comprised 12 fours and three sixes. It was an innings that underlined his contribution to Delhi’s campaign this season. He is both the leading run-getter and leading wicket-taker for his team in Ranji Trophy.
Brief scores:
In Delhi: Railways 241 all out. Delhi 334/7 in 96 overs (Ayush Badoni 99, Pranav Rajuvanshi 39, Sumit Mathur 78 not out; Himanshu Sangwan 2/46.
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