Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara slammed his second hundred of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, guiding Saurashtra to a comfortable 242 for four against Rajasthan on the opening day of their Group A match on Friday.
The 36-year-old, who has 103 Tests and 262 First-Class matches under his belt, hit nine shots to the fence during his 230-ball 110. It was his 62nd hundred in first class cricket.
Pujara had scored a double hundred (243 not out), last month.
Opting to bat, Saurashtra found themselves in a spot of bother after they were reduced to 74 for 3 in the 32nd over but Pujara and Sheldon Jackson (78 not out) then formed an alliance, adding 168 runs for the fourth wicket.
Pujara, who last played a Test in June 2023 — the World Test Championship final against Australia — was the last wicket to fall in the 90th over.
Jackson was at the crease at the draw of stumps and Arpit Vasavada (0) will join him in the middle when play resumes on Saturday.
Jackson’s unbeaten 176-ball innings was studded with six boundaries and two sixes.
For Rajasthan, left-arm spinner Kukna Ajay Singh (2/86) claimed two wickets, while Aniket Choudhary (1/24) and Manav Suthar (1/68) announced for one each.
Vidarbha dominate Maharashtra
In Pune, Yash Thakur snapped three wickets as Vidarbha produced a disciplined bowling effort to dismiss Maharashtra for 208 and then reached 111 for one.
While fast bowler Thakur (3/68) rocked the top-order, pacer Lalit M Yadav (2/32) and left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate (2/43) took two wickets each after their skipper Akshay Wadkar won the toss and elected to bowl.
Pavan Shah (35), Dhanraj Shinde (30) and Manoj Ingale (36) scored 30-plus scores but Maharashtra couldn’t weave any meaningful partnerships.
In reply,Dhruv Shorey (55 not out) scored an unbeaten fifty and was at the crease along with Yash Rathod (29 not out) at the break.
Brief Scores:
Saurashtra 242 for 4 in 89.3 overs (Cheteshwar Pujara 110; K Ajay Singh 2/86) vs Rajasthan in Jaipur.
Haryana 338 for 6 in 89 overs (Ankit Kumar 109; Anukul Roy 2/59, Utkarsh Singh 2/60) vs Jharkhand in Jamshedpur.
Vidarbha 111 for 1 in 24 overs (Dhruv Shorey 55 not out; Ashay Palkar 1/27) trail by 97 runs against Maharashtra 208 allout in 56.4 overs (Manoj Ingale 36; yash Thakur 3/68) in Pune.
Services 191 for 3 in 54 overs (Ravi Chauhan 87 not out, Rajat Paliwal 62 not out; Kangabam Priyojit Singh 1/11) lead by 124 runs against Manipur 67allout in 34.2 overs (Ronald Longjam 30; Varun Choudhary 3/13, Poonia 3/27) in Anand, Gujarat.
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