The sun didn’t shine above the CAP Ground 2 here on Tuesday, but fate smiled faintly on Hyderabad, which clinched three points from its Ranji Trophy Group-D contest against Pondicherry after the morning session of the final day was washed out due to a steady drizzle and wet outfield.
The grins on the visitors’ faces would have been wider had inclement weather not washed away three sessions over the last couple of days, allowing Pondicherry to escape with a draw, after conceding a 309-run first-innings lead, and denying Hyderabad an outright win.
To its credit, the host was more resolute with the bat, considering it had lost seven wickets in 25 overs on Monday. On the fourth day, Aman Khan and the lanky debutant Karan Kannan clung on for 11.5 overs after play resumed following the lunch break.
Aman was the aggressor in their 35-run alliance for the ninth wicket and used his long levers to get to the pitch of the ball and drive the spinners through cover.
However, Tanay Thyagarajan curtailed Pondicherry’s resistance and made inroads in its second essay, after Hyderabad enforced the follow-on. The left-arm spinner ended opener Ganga Sridhar Raju’s breezy knock, which included five fours, as the diminutive southpaw preferred attack over defence.
But Tanay sent him packing, thanks to wicket-keeper Rahul Radesh’s quick wit, who dived in front to complete the catch after the ball popped out of the short-leg fielder’s grasp.
Hyderabad wicket-keeper Rahul dives to complete the catch to dismiss Ganga.
| Photo Credit:
E. LAKSHMI NARAYANAN
An opportunity
When Tanay castled Aman for the second time in the day, and G. Anikethreddy trapped Jayant Yadav in front, Hyderabad sniffed an opportunity, and captain Rahul Singh had four fielders on the prowl around the batters.
Two wickets in quick succession after tea raised Hyderabad’s hopes, but it was fighting against time and dwindling light, which faded decisively 10 minutes before 5 p.m.
The scores: Hyderabad — 1st innings: 435.
Pondicherry — 1st innings: Ganga Sridhar Raju c Rahul b Punnaiah 11, Paras Ratnaparkhe c Himateja b Punnaiah 5, Anand Singh Bais lbw b Anikethreddy 41, Mohit Kale lbw b Punnaiah 0, Akash Kargave b Milind 5, Siddhaant Addhatrao run out 16, Aman Khan b Tanay 33, Jayant Yadav c Tanmay b Tanay 0, Puneet Datey b Tanay 0, Karan Kannan (not out) 9; Sagar Udeshi c Anikethreddy b Tanay 0; Extras (b-3, lb-2, w-1): 6; Total (in 45.5 overs): 126.
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-30, 3-30, 4-35, 5-80, 6-84, 7-85, 8-87, 9-122.
Hyderabad bowling: Anikethreddy 13-3-32-1, Milind 10-3-14-1, Punnaiah 8-2-20-3, Tanay 13.5-3-48-4, Rohit 1-0-7-0.
Pondicherry — 2nd innings: Ganga Sridhar Raju c Radesh b Tanay 27, Paras Ratnaparkhe lbw b Anikethreddy 10, Aman Khan b Tanay 1, Jayant Yadav lbw b Anikethreddy 14, Akash Kargave (not out) 21, Sidhaant Addhatrao c Tanmay b Varun 16, Mohit Kale (not out) 1; Extras (b-5, lb-1, nb-1): 7; Total (for five wkts. in 42 overs): 97.
Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-39, 3-58, 4-62, 5-91.
Hyderabad bowling: Tanay 18-7-35-2, Punnaiah 2-1-5-0, Milind 3-1-12-0, Anikethreddy 11-5-25-2, Rohit 5-2-6-0, Varun 3-0-8-1.
Published – October 28, 2025 07:06 pm IST
