Ishant Sharma has been released from the Indian team to join Delhi for their fifth game of Ranji Trophy against Maharashtra. DDCA had already written to BCCI to release Ishant if he was not part of playing XI and the apex board accepted the request of DDCA and released the pacer,
“Ishant will be reaching Delhi by evening and he will be leading the side. Rishabh Pant will be his deputy. We have got confirmation,” Shankar Saini, manager of Delhi Ranji team, told PTI.
(Read Here: Matt Renshaw gets backing from Nathan Lyon)
Ishant’s addition is a big boost for the team, who missed the skipper in the previous game. In his absence, Rishab Pant led the side against Karnataka, and unsurprisingly, the R Vinay Kumar led side went on to notch a big total of 649, which left Delhi fielders toiling.
The same was the case on the final day of the game when Karnataka did not enforce the follow-on and let Delhi fielders stay on the field.
Delhi would be hoping to register a win against Maharashtra at their home to bolster its chances of qualifying for the next round.
Meanwhile, only 11.5 overs were possible on day 1 of the Eden Gardens Test. Already, the game started late due to early morning showers, and when the play started, the poor light curtailed the game.
(Read Here: Shane Warne backs old horses to be key for England)
India had a poor start as the home side lost the first wicket on the first delivery of the game when KL Rahul edged a delivery off Suranga Lakmal to the wicketkeeper. Lakmal continued to take wickets and dismissed two more batsmen before the play was called off for the day.
Lakmal’s bowling figures at the end of day one were recorded as 6-6-0-3, and undoubtedly, he was the star of the rain-curtailed day.
Coming back to Ranji Trophy, we might see other players like Rohit Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav and Murali Vijay being released by team management to let them allow play Ranji Trophy. Vijay lost the openers race to Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul while the comeback of Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin meant that Kuldeep had to warm the bench. Rohit’s comeback in this Test was not expected, and his non-inclusion was not a surprise.
(Read Here: BCCI to lift ban on Rajasthan Cricket Association)
(Read Here: Shane Bond advises England bowlers ahead of Brisbane Test)
Video of the day –