Ranji Trophy 2026-27: Anuj and Vikalp hold strong after Hyderabad strikes early

Rising to the occasion: Anuj played a captain’s innings. | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL Hyderabad had the contest by the collar until the wind rose and loosened its grip. Unhurried half-centuries by Anuj Tiwary, twice forgiven by the fielders, and Vikalp Tiwari sailed Chhattisgarh to 279 for seven on a tide that refused to go out.Rakshann Readdi struck early, with wicketkeeper Pragnay Reddy pouching a sharp catch to send Ayush Pandey back. At the other end, Anuj survived twice: Aniketh Reddy and Pragnay the culprits.Mayank Verma kept the scoreboard moving with a boundary every other over, until Aniketh struck twice in the 26th over. An edge ended Mayank’s stay, and Sanjeet Desai followed for a duck, snaffled by Tanmay Agarwal at first slip.Anuj hit the day’s first six over midwicket, and four overs later Vikalp smashed Tanay Thyagarajann over long-on. Tanay hit back just before lunch, removing Amandeep to give Hyderabad the upper hand.A cool wind descended thereafter and generously swung momentum in favour of the visitors. Anuj swept to the backward square-leg boundary to bring up his fifty, and ring in a half-century stand with Vikalp. The latter was the more urgent of the two, keeping his strike-rate in triple figures. Three fours in the second over after lunch signalled his intent, and he reached his own fifty in 48 balls.Anuj’s luck finally ran out when he was trapped leg before by C.V. Milind, ending a 132-ball, 93-run partnership that put the visitors in control of the proceedings. For all the early bravado, Vikalp managed only 19 runs in his next 48 balls before Ruthik Yadav breached his defence on the fourth ball after tea.In the closing overs of the day, Hyderabad’s short ball ploy against Prateek Yadav bore fruit when the southpaw’s pull landed safely into Abhirath’s hands at backward square-leg, before bad light brought stumps early.The scores: Chhattisgarh — 1st innings: Ayush Pandey c Pragnay b Rakshann 17, Anuj Tiwary lbw b Milind 72, Mayank Verma c Pragnay b Aniketh 36, Sanjeet Desai c Tanmay b Aniketh 0, Amandeep Khare c Himateja b Tanay 0, Vikalp Tiwari b Ruthik 69, Jayant Yadav (batting) 36, Prateek Yadav c Abhirath b Rakshann 27, Ayan Mandal (batting) 9; Extras (b-4, lb-7, w-2): 13; Total (for seven wkts. in 87 overs) 279.Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-87, 3-87, 4-94, 5-187, 6-216, 7-264.Hyderabad bowling: Milind 10-3-17-1, Tanay 26-4-89-1, Rakshann 12-1-34-2, Ruthik 18-1-69-1, Aniketh 21-4-59-2.Toss: Chhattisgarh. Published - November 02, 2026 07:26 pm IST