Day 2 of the latest round of the Ranji Trophy belonged emphatically to the batters, with three double centuries headlining a day of huge first-innings totals across the country.
The most destructive of them came at Ahmedabad, where Gujarat’s Urvil Patel resumed on 63 and blazed his way to an unbeaten 210 off just 227 balls against Kerala, striking 17 fours and six sixes. Vishal Jayswal supported him with 77 as Gujarat declared on 534 for 9, leaving Kerala a mountain to climb — and the visitors ended the day at 74 for 3 in reply.
Punjab’s dominance was just as complete. Resuming after a strong first day against Andhra at home, Punjab declared on 592 for 9, built on three centurions. Sanvir Singh doubled his overnight score to finish on 205 off 375 balls with 22 fours, Salil Arora made 144 and Emanjot Singh Chahal smashed a 150-ball 122 featuring seven fours and nine sixes. Even No. 10 Sukhdeep Singh Bajwa joined in with an unbeaten 38 as Punjab buried Andhra under a mountain of runs.
Tamil Nadu’s Pradosh Ranjan Paul produced the third double century of the day — a career-best 208 — as his side declared on 571 for 7 against Chandigarh at Chandigarh. The innings bettered his previous best of 201 not out against Nagaland last season, and he had unusual company in the spotlight: spinner S Ajith Ram, batting at No. 7, scored a maiden first-class century, finishing unbeaten on 115. Chandigarh, chasing a mammoth total, were reeling at 49 for 3 at stumps, with Tamil Nadu captain R Sai Kishore taking two wickets.
Elsewhere, the runs kept flowing. Karnataka’s K.V. Aneesh scored a maiden first-class century, unbeaten on 142 off 248 balls, with Aneeshwar Gautam adding 83 as Karnataka reached 496 for 5 against Assam, who had been bowled out for 135 on Day 1 — a lead of 361 runs. At Dharamsala, after a chaotic opening day on which 20 wickets fell, Rajasthan recovered through opener Rohan Rajbhar’s 140 and Mahipal Lomror’s 97 to reach 297 for 4 in their second innings, leading Himachal Pradesh by 222 runs after being bowled out for 78 first time around.
Delhi, too, found a way back. Reduced to 135 for 5 against Services at Palam, the hosts were rescued by a 144-run sixth-wicket stand between Ayush Doseja (78) and Sumit Mathur, unbeaten on 80, to close on 299 for 6 — 33 runs ahead after Services had made 266 on Day 1.
It was, in short, a day for scoreboard pressure. Three teams passed 530, three batters passed 200, and several sides now face two days of survival cricket. Day 3 will show whether any of them can find a way back — or whether these first-innings mountains simply bury them.
