Gharami and Shakir Shine as Bengal Takes Lead Against Tripura on Day 1 of Ranji Trophy 2025-26

After Tripura botched two catch opportunities, offering lifelines to both Sudip Kumar Gharami and Shakir Habib Gandhi, the pair likely met in the middle of the pitch, exchanged a glove bump, and thought to themselves, “Carpe diem!” This spirit helped Bengal dominate all three sessions on the first day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C match.

On Saturday, Gharami and Shakir both scored unbeaten fifties, taking Bengal to 171 for one in the third round of the game at the Maharaja Bir Bikram Stadium. Despite the batter-friendly pitch, the duo deserve credit for their strategic shot selection, often choosing to play through the line.

Gharami showed a moment of hesitation only once, in the 19th over, when he let the ball graze the bat sticker on a fifth-stump delivery. Fortunately for Bengal, Hrituraj Ghosh Roy missed a simple catch at slip. To compound Tripura’s frustrations, Bikram Kumar Das also missed a chance, dropping Shakir when he was on 47.

Earlier, opener Kazi Junaid Saifi was dismissed for a duck in the second over, caught behind from an Abhijit Sarkar delivery that cramped him for space. Saifi, a left-handed batter, appeared unsatisfied with the umpire’s decision, suggesting he might not have edged it.

Spectators were momentarily stirred from their post-lunch drowsiness (or “bhaat ghum,” as it’s known locally) in the 34th over when a section of them mistook a bump ball for a miraculous catch by Vijay Shankar at cover. Gharami, undeterred, added to Tripura’s woes by reaching his 10th First-Class half-century six overs later.

With the sun blazing in the second session, batting conditions improved, and Shakir soon followed in his partner’s footsteps.

After tea, Shakir aimed to accelerate and reach his century before the end of play, but his plans were thwarted by fading light.

Published on Nov 01, 2025