Mohammed Shami Claims Three Wickets as J&K Resists Bengal Charge in Ranji Trophy

Mohammed Shami delivered a sharp message regarding his match fitness on Monday, claiming three wickets for Bengal on Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy semi-final. Despite Shami’s probing spells, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) recovered from a precarious start to reach 198 for 5, trailing Bengal’s first-innings total of 328 by 130 runs.

The day featured a battle between India’s premier pacer and J&K’s gritty middle order, highlighted by a counter-attacking partnership between IPL regular Abdul Samad and domestic veteran Paras Dogra.

Shami Dismantles Top Order

Shami, eyeing a return to the national setup, provided Bengal with an ideal start. He removed Shubham Khajuria (3) and Tawer Hussain (2), trapping both batters leg-before with deliveries that jagged back sharply. Mukesh Kumar supported the attack by inducing an edge from Shubham Pundir, which was safely pouched by Sudip Chatterjee in the slips.

Reduced to 13 for 3, J&K appeared to be facing a quick capitulation before the middle order rallied.

Dogra Crosses 10,000 Runs, Samad Counters

Skipper Paras Dogra (58 off 112) and Abdul Samad (82 off 85) constructed a vital 143-run alliance for the fourth wicket. Dogra, known for his resilience in domestic cricket, achieved a monumental milestone during his innings, crossing the 10,000-run mark in Ranji Trophy cricket.

While Dogra anchored the innings, Samad adopted an aggressive approach against the Bengal seamers. The young right-hander targeted Shami (3/60) and Mukesh Kumar (2/40), striking a flurry of boundaries to shift pressure back onto the fielding side. The pair exploited defensive field placements set by Bengal captain Abhimanyu Easwaran, rotating strike comfortably as the ball softened.

Bengal’s Tactical Misses and Late Wickets

Bengal’s momentum waned during the second session. Easwaran introduced Shahbaz Ahmed (0/19) and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, but neither could breakthrough the settled pair. Critics pointed to the defensive fields—deep extra cover and long-off—which allowed Samad to score freely without risk.

Shami eventually broke the resistance in his later spell, forcing Samad to hole out to Akash Deep. Mukesh Kumar then removed the solid Dogra, caught by Suraj Sindhu. J&K slipped from 156/3 to 156/5, but Abid Mushtaq (26*) and Kanhaiya Wadhawan (10*) ensured no further damage was done before stumps.

Auqib Nabi’s Five-Wicket Haul

Earlier in the day, Bengal resumed at 249 for 5 but could only add 79 runs. J&K pacer Auqib Nabi starred with the ball, claiming 5 for 87. This performance marked his 50th wicket of the current Ranji Trophy season.

Centurion Sudip Kumar Gharami (146) added just 10 runs to his overnight score before falling to Nabi. The tail failed to wag significantly, despite a rapid 39 off 36 balls from Sumanta Gupta.

Match Summary: Day 2

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