Anustup Majumdar Rescues Bengal on Day 1 of Ranji Trophy Clash Against Chhattisgarh

The hitting kept getting worse. On the first day of Bengal's pivotal Ranji Trophy match against Chhattisgarh at Eden Gardens, however, crisis manager Anustup Majumdar rose to the occasion once again, helping the team to a respectable position.

Bengal were 206/4 at stumps on Friday, with keeper-battler Abishek Porel (47 batting) demonstrating his resolve and providing senior teammate Majumdar with fine company. However, owing to inadequate light, the first day's activities came to an abrupt stop over an hour sooner than planned.

When put to bat on a beneficial Eden track, Bengal found themselves in difficulty at 93/3, after their struggles against Uttar Pradesh on a green field in Kanpur. Despite a conservative start, openers Sourav Paul and Shreyansh Ghosh threw it away in the first session themselves.

Following lunch, skipper Manoj Tiwary, who didn't seem too well, didn't take a shot at a delivery that pacer Ravi Kiran was shaping in and was dismissed. The surface does have some grass on it, and it has decent carry as well. However, Chhattisgarh's bowling was lackluster.

Majumdar and Porel undoubtedly grabbed hold of that element, hitting many boundaries during their uninterrupted 79-run fifth-wicket partnership.

But the 39-year-old Majumdar deserves praise for his unwavering composure during his stint in the middle, which may serve as an example for his team's younger hitters.

Bengal do need Majumdar and Porel to stay at the crease till the conclusion of the first session on Day II in order to amass a sizable first-innings total, but the latter must stop being so careless. When he was on 39 late in the last session on Friday, an unnecessary stroke almost lost him his wicket.

Brief scores: Bengal 206/4 against. Chhattisgarh (A. Majumdar 55 batting, A. Porel 47 batting). Day 1 at stumps.

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