Gujarat created history lifting the Ranji Trophy for the first time

Gujarat created history by winning the 83 edition of the Ranji Trophy for the first time beating the 41 times champion Mumbai by 5 wickets at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. Gujarat started the tournament hoping to do better and not repeat the same mistakes as the previous edition where they failed to qualify for the quarterfinals.

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Gujarat were placed in Group A alongside Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Baroda and Railways. They started their campaign against Baroda at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. The pitch was a batting paradise and hence it was a high scoring match with over 1000 runs being scored in the match. Baroda scored 544, thanks to centuries from Aditya Waghmode and Deepak Hooda. Gujarat bounced back, courtesy a double century from Manpreet Juneja duly supported by Axar Patel who scored a century and reached a greater first innings score of 551 and the match ended with a draw. Gujarat continued the good form and defeated a relatively weaker opposition in Railways by 294 runs. The Gujarat-Mumbai match in the group also ended in a dull draw. Gujarat ended the group stages at the second position behind Mumbai.

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Gujarat faced a stiff competition in Odisha in the quarters. Odisha won the toss and opted to field. Gujarat were struggling at 71- 6 but then Chirag Gandhi and Rush Kalaria stitched together a much needed partnership and propelled Gujarat to a score of 263. Basant Mohanty was the pick of the bowlers for Odisha picking up a fifer. Gujarat, on the back of some amazing bowling from Jasprit Bumrah who took five wickets, bowled Odisha out for 199 thus having the first innings advantage. Gujarat rectified their mistakes from the first innings and piled on 641 runs with Samit Gohel scoring a brilliant 359 carrying his bat through the innings. Odisha could manage only 81 for the loss of 1 chasing 706 before the match ended in a draw and Gujarat advanced on the basis of a better first innings score.

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Gujarat next faced Jharkhand in the semis. They won the toss and opted to bat in Nagpur. Priyank Panchal’s 149 led Gujarat to a good score of 390, duly supported by Parthiv Patel who scored 62. Jharkhand in reply, riding on Ishank Jaggi’s 129 and Ishan Kishan’s 61, were able to better Gujarat’s score and reach 408, getting a slender lead of 18. RP Singh was the pick of the bowlers, picking up 6 wickets for Gujarat. In the second innings, Shahbaz Nadeem caused a lot of troubles for the Gujarat side picking a fifer, as Gujarat was bowled out for 252 setting a target of 235 for Odisha. It was a relatively easy target for Odisha to chase down but Jasprit Bumrah had other plans. He just dismantled Odisha’s batting lineup picking up 6 wickets as Odisha were bowled for just 111.

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The final match was held in the Holkar Stadium of Indore which saw the defending champions Mumbai taking on Gujarat who were without their bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. Gujarat won the all important toss and elected to field trying to make use of the freshness of the pitch on offer which they successfully did. Mumbai started well, with Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav getting fifties, but Gujarat kept getting wickets at regular intervals and ultimately bowled Mumbai out for 228. Gujarat cashed in the opportunity and got to 328 getting an important 100 runs lead, thanks to a well played 90 from Parthiv Patel. Shardul Thakur was the pick of the bowlers for Mumbai picking up 4 wickets. Mumbai needed to score big if they were to put any pressure on Gujarat, which they did. Fifties from Shreyas Iyer, Aditya Tare and Abhishek Nayar saw Mumbai getting 411, setting a target of 312 for Gujarat to create history. Gujarat got off to a good start but three quick wickets saw them struggling at 89 for 3. But Parthiv Patel emerged as the saviour, though riding his luck a bit, guided Gujarat home. Parthiv was awarded man of the match for his 90 and 143 as Gujarat lifted the trophy for the first time in Ranji History.

pic credits- deshgujarat.com

Here are the highlights of Day 5 from the final between the two sides.
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