Fading lights, Tamil Nadu captain Narayan Jagadeesan asking fielders to throw the ball to the boundary in case it stops somewhere in the outfield, TN seamer Sonu Yadav bowling off-spin, Delhi No 10 Himanshu Chauhan crying like a baby after he scratched his elbow after diving to reach the crease. And then, there was Navdeep Saini.
Saini’s theatrics wasting time as light faded with TN needing just the last wicket, took the cake, as hosts Delhi walked away with a solitary point and denied the visitors back-to-back outright victories in the ongoing Ranji Trophy.
After enforcing the follow-on early in the morning, Tamil Nadu reduced Delhi to 193 for 8 and was on the brink of victory, with Dhruv Kaushik injured and unable to bat, but the visitors had to settle for three points. Two overs were left but umpires called off the day’s play due to poor visibility at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium and TN were left stranded with one wicket left.
With six overs more to go and a new ball to be taken, a defeat was certain for Delhi. Kaushik, who didn’t bat in the first innings due to split webbing was padded up with eight stitches on his right hand. But it was Himanshu Chauhan, who walked out to bat after Sonu Yadav dismissed Pranshu Vijayran.
This is when Himanshu Chauhan and Navdeep Saini took time-wasting to the next level.
Best actor of cricket goes to Navdeep saini in #DELvsTN #RanjiTrophy2024 #ranjitrophy pic.twitter.com/sRLb2WfMnx
— Anything Good (@Praveen11851683) October 21, 2024
Himanshu started crying in the middle of the pitch after he got a minor scratch on his elbow, after putting in a dive to save his wicket. Former India opener WV Raman on air said: “He is acting like a five-year-old when you take them to take an injection.” It took Delhi’s physios a good five to seven minutes to get Himanshu ready to face the next ball.
In the next over, Sonu Yadav bowled a bumper as the tailender ducked. It kissed Saini’s helmet and went past fine leg with Jagadeesan giving it chase. Navdeep Saini gave the thumbs-up to the umpire to signal he was alright. But he immediately realised there was a chance to waste a few more minutes. The next moment, he was down on the ground like a belly-up turtle, which left the umpires and Tamil Nadu’s close-in fielders in splits.
The Tamil Nadu slip cordon of Baba Indrajith, Shahrukh Khan, Sai Sudharsan and Andre Siddarth were pleading with Saini to get up and carry on. Delhi physios rushed to take a concussion test. Saini again fell on his knees, a move that would make Afganistan’s Gulbadin Naib proud. Only after the intervention of the umpires, he got up, and took his sweet time to face the next ball from Sonu Yadav.
By then the damage was done. One ball later, the umpires checked for the lights and told Jagadeesan that the light was not good enough and only spinners could bowl. Sonu completed his over bowling off-spin.
Himanshu Chauhan survived the next over bowled by Ajith Ram. Jagadeesan threw the ball to Washington Sundar, Tamil Nadu’s best bowler to get the job done. Meanwhile, Saini was not done. He completely missed the third ball of the over and it went for four byes but this time he was on the ground holding his hamstring. The physios were again on their way, but were sent back by the umpire. Saini hobbled towards the crease and negotiated the next three balls before umpires stopped play due to bad light.
Saini and Chauhan were off the blocks as Delhi’s dressing room was celebrating the performances of the duo, while Jagadeesan and Co took the long walk back to the pavilion with a dejected look written all over their faces.
Tamil Nadu have themselves to blame as well. They batted one hour extra after tea on Day 3. If not for that they could have had ample of time to finish the job on the final day.
Gritty Sanat
Earlier, after resuming on their overnight total of 264 for 8, Delhi were bowled out for 266 with Dhruv Kaushik being absent hurt in their first innings. Washington trapped Vijayran to end Delhi’s first innings. Yash Dhull remained unbeaten on 105.
After losing Dhull early, it was 24-year-old Sanat Sangwan, another product of Delhi’s famous Sonnet Cricket Club, who absorbed the pressure and played a valiant knock of 83 runs off 235 balls. (BCCI Domestic on X)
After being asked to bat again, Dhull walked out with Sanat Sangwan. He took off from where he had left, by playing a lovely cover drive. Dhull hit Gurjapneet for another boundary but the bowler had the last laugh as he changed the angle, came around the wicket and cleaned up the opener.
After losing Dhull early, it was 24-year-old Sanat Sangwan, another product of Delhi’s famous Sonnet Cricket Club, who absorbed the pressure and played a valiant knock of 83 runs off 235 balls. The southpaw, who took strike with a bat, which was gifted to him by his idol Rishabh Pant showed heart, and unlike the first innings, didn’t throw away his start. He did get lucky after he was dropped on 37 but after that he made sure to take the game deep.
“It was frustrating the way I got out in the first innings. Even in the first match, I got out after scoring 39. It is criminal for a top-order batter to throw away the start,” said Sangwan.
“The aim was to get the draw and the point. We managed to achieve our goal. Although a hundred would have meant a lot for me but I am happy that we got away with the draw.”
Barring Sangwan, it was another dismal show from the Delhi batters. Debutant Mayank Rawat, who conceded 194 runs in his 50 overs failed to get a run in his account as he got out without scoring in both the innings.
For Tamil Nadu, Washington Sundar (3/45) was the pick of the bowlers.
Brief Scores: Tamil Nadu: 674/6d vs Delhi 266 & 193/8 in 83 overs (Sanat Sangwan 83; Washington Sundar 3/45)
