By A Correspondent
Patna: In a dominant display at Patna’s Moin-ul-Haq Stadium, Madhya Pradesh defeated Bihar by an innings and 108 runs in their Ranji Trophy encounter, earning maximum points. Bihar’s batting line-up faltered under pressure, with only Sakibul Gani, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and Sachin Kumar Singh showing any resilience in the second innings. Madhya Pradesh captain Shubham Sharma’s brilliant 240-run knock earned him the Player of the Match award.
Madhya Pradesh set an imposing first-innings total of 616, applying early pressure on Bihar. In response, Bihar managed to reach 347 in their first innings but was still forced to follow on. Bihar’s second innings collapsed at 161 runs, leading to an innings defeat.
Day Four Performance
Bihar resumed their first innings on the final day at 331 for 8, with Veer Pratap Singh and Shabbir Khan at the crease. The pair added just 15 runs before Shabbir fell to Saransh Jain, caught behind by wicketkeeper Himanshu Mantri for 5. Shortly after, Veer Pratap was bowled by Saransh for 14, ending Bihar’s first innings at 347.
Bihar’s notable performances in the first innings included Bipin Saurabh (71), Ayush Loharuka (76), and Babul Kumar (47). Madhya Pradesh’s Saransh Jain starred with the ball, taking 5 for 108, while Kumar Kartikeya Singh (2/90) and Aryan Pandey (2/44) offered solid support.
Follow-On Woes
Facing the follow-on, Bihar’s second innings started poorly, losing Piyush Kumar Singh for a duck with the score at just 4 runs. Although Vaibhav Suryavanshi showed intent, scoring 41 off 43 balls (including six fours and a six), he was eventually dismissed by Kumar Kartikeya Singh.
Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with Bipin Saurabh (3), Ayush Loharuka (1), and Sarman Nigrodh (8) all departing cheaply. Sakibul Gani and Sachin Kumar Singh provided a glimmer of hope with a gritty 67-run partnership, stabilising the innings and stretching the game until tea. However, their stand was broken when Sachin was dismissed for 23, caught by Mantri off Kulwant Khejroliya’s bowling. Shabbir Khan and Sakibul added 23 more runs before Bihar’s innings ended at 161, with Sakibul remaining unbeaten on a fighting 76, which included ten fours and three sixes.
Bowling Highlights (Second Innings) Madhya Pradesh’s bowlers executed their plans effectively:
- Kumar Kartikeya Singh: 4/40
- Kulwant Khejroliya: 3/33
- Aryan Pandey: 1/23
- Saransh Jain: 1/40
- Venkatesh Iyer: 1/12
With this emphatic win, Madhya Pradesh secured a comprehensive victory and full points, leaving Bihar to reflect on an innings defeat.
