Wrecker-in-chief: Koushik, left, picked up a career-best seven-wicket haul.
| Photo Credit: KIRAN BAKALE
Karnataka made a nice start to its 2023-24 Ranji Trophy marketing campaign, limiting Punjab to 152 and ending the day simply 10 runs adrift with seven wickets remaining.
At the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium right here on Friday, speedster V. Koushik picked up a career-best seven-wicket haul (7/41) earlier than Devdutt Padikkal scored a pleasant unbeaten half-century (80 n.o., 80b, 14×4) to put Karnataka firmly in management.
Devdutt Padikkal.
| Photo Credit:
KIRAN BAKALE
On a misty and breezy morning, Punjab selected to bat. It appeared a tad shocking, because the customer had India pacer Arshdeep Singh in its arsenal and Karnataka’s tempo battery was formidable. And the transfer backfired spectacularly as Koushik destroyed Punjab with a splendid first spell (8-3-20-4).
Though of massive body (6’1”), Koushik doesn’t hit the deck with tempo. But he bowls in the correct areas, that legendary area which assessments even the best of batters. The willow wielders from Punjab are usually not supernatural skills and so they duly fell like ninepins.
Prabhsimran Singh was caught within the cordon and Naman Dhir by the wicket-keeper. Abhishek Sharma flickered for a whereas earlier than chopping one on to his stumps. Mandeep Singh was unfortunate when the ball hit his bat and popped off the pad into Manish Pandey’s fingers.
From 37 for 4, Nehal Wadhera (44, 79b, 7×4) and Gitansh Khera (27, 44b, 5×4) got here collectively for a 52-run affiliation. But Koushik returned for a second spell and had Khera caught behind.
A late cameo from Mayank Markande (26 n.o., 44b, 5×4) took the overall previous 150, however the residence batters saved up the stress. Padikkal, who had a robust final season due to an sickness, was at his resplendent finest, persevering with his nice Vijay Hazare Trophy kind (465 runs in 5 innings).
Twelve of his 14 boundaries got here within the arc between third-man and canopy as he reduce and drove pacers Baltej Singh, Arshdeep and Siddharth Kaul, amassing 62 of 80 runs off them. If he scores huge on Saturday, Karnataka might effectively bat simply as soon as.
The scores:
Punjab — 1st innings: Prabhsimran Singh c Manish b Koushik 5, Abhishek Sharma b Koushik 26, Naman Dhir c Sharath b Koushik 4, Mandeep Singh c Manish b Koushik 1, Nehal Wadhera c Sharath b Koushik 44, Gitansh Khera c Sharath b Koushik 27, Prerit Dutta c Sharath b Vyshak 8, Mayank Markande (not out) 26, Siddharth Kaul c Sharath b Koushik 0, Arshdeep Singh b Vyshak 7, Baltej Singh c sub b Rohit 0; Extras (lb-3, w-1): 4; Total (in 46.5 overs): 152.
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-23, 3-36, 4-37, 5-89, 6-106, 7-122, 8-122, 9-131.
Karnataka bowling: Kaverappa 11-0-54-0, Koushik 15-6-41-7, Vyshak 13-3-35-2, Rohit 6.5-1-18-1, Shubhang 1-0-1-0.
Karnataka — 1st innings: R. Samarth b Dutta 38, Mayank Agarwal c Dhir b Arshdeep 0, Devdutt Padikkal (batting) 80, Nikin Jose lbw b Dhir 8, Manish Pandey (batting) 13; Extras (lb 3): 3; Total (for 3 wkts. in 33 overs): 142.
Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-92, 3-110.
Punjab bowling: Baltej 10-1-30-0, Arshdeep 8-1-37-1, Kaul 6-0-40-0, Dutta 4-0-18-1, Dhir 4-1-13-1, Markande 1-0-1-0.
Toss: Punjab.
