Yash Rathod's Unbeaten Century Steers Vidarbha to Safety After Early Collapse
In a dramatic turn of events on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'A' match, defending champions Vidarbha found themselves in deep trouble before a stellar century from Yash Rathod rescued their innings. Playing at the Anantapur Cricket Ground on Thursday, Vidarbha ended the day at 267 for 7, thanks largely to Rathod's unbeaten 104, which came after the team was reduced to a precarious 45 for 4 by a fiery spell from Andhra's young medium pacer Kalidindi Raju.
Andhra's Raju Stuns Vidarbha's Top Order
The day began with no signs of the carnage to follow, as Vidarbha openers Aman Mokhade and Atharva Taide safely negotiated the first 10 overs after skipper Harsh Dubey won the toss. However, the introduction of Kalidindi Raju, playing only his third First Class match, changed the game completely. Raju produced an incisive spell, taking a wicket in each of four consecutive overs to trigger a dramatic Vidarbha collapse.
Raju's victims included:
- Aman Mokhade (21 off 36 balls), who, despite a season tally of eight centuries across formats, was bowled by Raju's sixth delivery to him, leaving Vidarbha at 29 for 1.
- Danish Malewar (0 off 3 balls), returning from a long injury layoff, was caught off Raju's first ball to him, making it 33 for 2.
- Atharva Taide (13 off 43 balls), fresh from a century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final, edged to the wicketkeeper after scoring just three runs off 13 balls from Raju.
- R Samarth (9 off 14 balls) also fell to Raju, caught behind as Vidarbha slumped to 45 for 4 in 17 overs.
This collective failure of the top order, with none scoring more than 21, left Vidarbha staring down the barrel early in the match.
Rathod's Timely Intervention and Key Partnerships
Walking in when Vidarbha were in dire straits, southpaw Yash Rathod timed his third century of the Ranji Trophy season to perfection. Having already scored over 470 runs in the first leg of the tournament, Rathod stood up to the challenge with remarkable composure. While other batters struggled against Raju, Rathod handled him with ease, scoring 20 runs off 37 balls from the bowler.
Rathod's rescue act was built on two crucial partnerships:
- 93-run fifth-wicket stand with debutant Rohit Binkar, which was the highest partnership of the day. Wicketkeeper-batter Binkar (37 off 93 balls) showed ample discipline in his maiden First Class match, standing guard to support Rathod.
- 76-run seventh-wicket partnership with Darshan Nalkande (36 off 50 balls), who contributed with six boundaries to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Later, Nachiket Bhute (25 not out off 52 balls) joined Rathod, adding 35 runs for the eighth wicket to take Vidarbha to relative safety by stumps. Rathod remained unbeaten on 104 off 176 balls, including 12 fours, showcasing his ability to anchor the innings under pressure.
Match Context and Implications
This Elite Group 'A' encounter highlights the competitive nature of the Ranji Trophy, where defending champions Vidarbha faced a stern test from Andhra. Raju's figures of 4 for 51 were instrumental in putting Andhra on top early, but Rathod's century ensured Vidarbha fought back to post a respectable total. Other Andhra bowlers, including Saurabh Kumar (1 for 28), K Saiteja (1 for 34), and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1 for 51), also chipped in, but Rathod's resilience proved decisive on Day 1.
As the match progresses, Vidarbha will look to build on this recovery, while Andhra will aim to wrap up the tail quickly and mount a strong response with the bat. Rathod's innings not only saved Vidarbha from a collapse but also set the stage for an intriguing battle in the days ahead.
