Weather Woes Impact Bengal's Ranji Trophy Match, Pujara Hits 20,000 Runs in Saurashtra Victory

On Day III of the Ranji Trophy match between Bengal and Chhattisgarh at Eden Gardens, just nine overs could be bowled. The overcast skies persisted throughout the day, making it impossible for Sunday's play to start before 3.35 p.m.

Bengal needed to win this game to increase their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages. However, they are only looking for three points at most in the present scenario.

Bengal had little time to declare their first innings on the overnight score of 381/8 as the umpires were comfortable with the light and gave the all-clear to begin again. After that, Chhattisgarh opener Eknath Kerkar was dismissed by pacer Suraj Sindhu Jai­swal. At the conclusion of the day, off-spinner Karan Lal caught Rishabh Tiwari leg before wicket for two vital wickets.

Bengal will undoubtedly push for the first-inning lead to secure those three points if play on Monday, the last day of the game, does start on schedule. However, based on the weather report, Monday morning may also be overcast.

Bengal were so nervous that they were prepared to start the match on Sunday with Karan and another part-time spinner. However, that possibility was also ruled out since, in the last hour of Day I, on-field umpires Anand Ovalekar and Saurabh Dhote neglected to check the light meter, which serves as a baseline for spinners, as night fell.

Short scores: Chhattisgarh 27/2 (SS Jaiswal 1/0, K. Lal 1/0), Bengal 381/8 decl. Day III at stumps.

Pujara's twenty thousand

Saurashtra won for the first time on Sunday in Nagpur, defeating Vidarbha by 238 runs behind all-rounder Chirag Jani's 5/51. After Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, and Rahul Dravid, veteran Saurashtra batsman Cheteshwar Pujara became only the fourth Indian hitter to amass 20,000 first-class runs during his 66-run innings.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.