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Chennai: Rajasthan are all set to retain the Ranji Trophy after ensuring a huge lead against hosts Tamil Nadu at stumps, on the fourth day of the final, here on Sunday.
Dinesh Karthik’s valiant effort — he scored 150 — wasn’t matched by other Tamil Nadu batsmen as the hosts were all-out for 295, thereby conceding a lead of 326 runs.
The defending champions didn't enforce follow-on and were 21 for no loss at stumps with their lead swelling to 347.
The final day’s play has now been rendered inconsequential as the contest is all but over.
The credit should be given to Hrishikesh Kanitkar, who has now successfully led the team to successive national titles. It’s a story that will be discussed in the cricketing fraternity for years to come.
The team may not consist of the best of talents but they have a dedicated bunch of cricketers who have made all the pundits, who had termed their last season’s triumph as fluke, eat a humble pie.
Tamil Nadu players, on the other hand, would certainly feel that they have lost their best chance to win the trophy, especially with one of the best top-order line-up in domestic cricket. But, when it mattered, the likes of Murali Vijay, Abhinav Mukund and Subramaniam Badrinath failed to deliver.
It was always a difficult task for the hosts to come back from 66 for three but Karthik tried his best to delay the inevitable.
In fact, he has now scored a century in two Ranji finals and yet ended on a losing side. Karthik, who faced 280 balls, hit 21 boundaries and a six.
Karthik hit some delightful strokes square of the wicket before he was the ninth Tamil Nadu batsman to be dismissed.
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