Form and rhythm were certainly on Sudip Gharami’s side, but he also had to deal with a higher level of expectations following his 299 in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final clash versus Andhra.

So far, though, Gharami has passed the test with flying colours, scoring his second century on the trot that helped Bengal to 249/5 at Stumps on Day I of their semi-final game against Jammu and Kashmir in Kalyani.

Gharami’s innings (136 batting off 227 balls), after Bengal were put into bat, so far comprises 19 boundaries and a maximum, though he and his teammates would have been much happier had Shahbaz Ahmed not departed off what turned out to be the day’s last ball. Gharami and Shahbaz had stitched a vital 94 for the fifth wicket, before the spinner all-rounder was trapped LBW off the bowling of left-arm pacer Sunil Kumar.

“Of course, we would have been in a better position if we hadn’t lost the wicket of Shahbaz,” agreed Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla. “Anyway, we have to bat well tomorrow (Monday).”

The going could well have been a lot tougher for Bengal if not for Gharami’s century, his third in this Ranji season. It wasn’t an easy start, though, for the No. 3 batsman, who had to arrive at the crease in just the second over of the semi-final when Sudip Chatterjee fell off the bowling of Kumar with only four runs on the board.

Before reaching double digits, Gharami was twice saved by the DRS. He, however, did well to rid himself of the early shakiness and regained the solidity to forge an 85-run stand with captain Abhimanyu Easwaran.

But again, Gharami had to encounter a tough scenario as pacer Auqib Nabi, a cynosure of this contest, removed Easwaran and all-rounder Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal in consecutive overs. He shaped one in to dismantle Easwaran’s off-stump before making Jaiswal nick one to the keeper. Better footwork could well have helped Easwaran, who fell one run short of a fifty, to negotiate that delivery safely.

The ploy to promote Jaiswal up the order at No. 4 didn’t work this time, and the pressure was palpable on Gharami with the scoreboard reading 89/3. However, Gharami once again showed his mental resolve and, at the same time, showed intent to not lose out on scoring opportunities.

His partnership with Anustup Majumdar for the fourth wicket, which earned Bengal 66, did calm the nerves in the camp. But in that partnership, Anustup’s contribution was only 14, which underlines Gharami's dominance in that stand. Gharami’s task isn’t over, though, as he needs to continue braving Auqib, who will be steaming in with the new ball when play resumes on Monday.

Brief scores: Bengal 249/5 (Sudip Gharami 136 batting, Shahbaz Ahmed 42; Auqib Nabi 2/48) vs J&K. At stumps, Day I.