Saurashtra’s experienced batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, who is out of the Indian team, continued his poor form. Pujara was sent off after facing only six balls in a Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match on Thursday. He only got to play six balls in which he added eight runs by getting the ball over the bounds twice. He was fired by Debabrata Pradhan. But Chirag Jani’s unbeaten century and two batsmen’s half-centuries managed to score 325 from four against Odisha on the first day at stumps.

Starters Harvik Desai (38) and Snell Patel (24) got off to a good start for Saurashtra, who chose to bat after winning the toss but was unable to play a big inning. Chirag remained at one end, so far he has hit 16 fours and four sixes in his undefeated 125. Sheldon Jackson once again played a good role as Chirag. He scored 75 runs on 112 balls with the help of 12 fours and three sixes. After his dismissal, Arpit Vasavada, playing the same responsibility, scored an unbeaten 51 runs to the stumps, which included six fours and two sixes.

In another pool match, Mumbai was eliminated 163 in the first inning by bowling Lakshya Garg and Goa’s Amit Yadav. Lakshya Garg took 6-for-46 and Amit took 4-for-47. Only five batsmen could reach double figures for Mumbai, in which Sarfaraz Khan scored a 63-run half-century. Tanush Kotian contributed 30 runs. At the same time, another experienced player, Ajinkya Rahane, who is running out of the Indian team, could not even open the account and left after playing three balls. At the end of the day’s play, Goa were 114 from two with the help of starter Amogh Sunil Desai with 51 no outs and 40 from Suyash Prabhudesai. With this, the team trails Mumbai by just 49 runs in the early innings. Captain Snehal Kauthankar is playing Sunil Desai after scoring 16 runs.