Rajasthan's young pace sensation Rohan Choudhary delivered a devastating bowling performance to put his team in a commanding position on the opening day of the Vijay Merchant Under-16 Trophy Elite match against Punjab. The action unfolded at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior on Thursday, where Choudhary's six-wicket haul dismantled the Punjab batting lineup.
Choudhary's Fiery Spell Decimates Punjab
Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Punjab found themselves in immediate trouble against the disciplined Rajasthan attack. The star of the day was undoubtedly Rohan Choudhary, who produced a magnificent spell of fast bowling. His figures of 6 wickets for just 32 runs in 18 overs, including an incredible 10 maidens, crippled the Punjab innings. They were bundled out for a modest total of 156 runs in 53.1 overs.
Punjab's innings saw brief resistance from Sahibjotveer Singh, who top-scored with 47 runs. Paras Dhamija and Abhishek Rajput contributed 23 runs each, but no batter could build a substantial partnership against Choudhary's relentless accuracy. He received valuable support from Ashish, who claimed 2 wickets for 12 runs, and Prateek Choudhary, who chipped in with one wicket.
Rajasthan's Rocky Reply After Early Promise
In response, Rajasthan's chase got off to a promising start, reaching 97 for the loss of only two wickets. Opener Shifan Khan led the way with a solid 35 runs, while contributions came from Gaurav Saini (18) and Vashisht Sharma (16). However, the middle order suffered a dramatic collapse, losing three wickets without adding a single run to the score.
This sudden slump left Rajasthan in a precarious position at stumps on Day 1. They finished the day at 99 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 34 overs, still trailing Punjab's first-innings total by 57 runs. The not-out batsmen at the crease are Kumar Vasudev (24*) and captain Shobhag S Bhati (2*), who will carry the responsibility of rebuilding the innings on Day 2.
Match Poised for an Exciting Second Day
The match is now intriguingly balanced. While Rajasthan has the upper hand thanks to Choudhary's heroics, their own batting fragility has given Punjab a glimmer of hope. Punjab's bowlers, led by Shivam Matri (2/24) and Ayaan Srivastava (2/31), fought back brilliantly in the final session.
Rajasthan will now depend heavily on their lower-order batsmen and tailenders to swell the team's total and secure a significant first-innings lead. The second day's play at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium promises to be a crucial battle between Rajasthan's remaining batters and a rejuvenated Punjab bowling attack.
