Mohammed Shami clinches five-wicket haul as Bengal thrashes Gujarat in Ranji Trophy
Ace pacer Mohammed Shami picked up eight wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings, as Bengal beat Gujarat by 141 runs in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. It needs to be seen if the pacer now earns an opportunity for the Test series against South Africa.
A month ago, when asked about Mohammed Shami’s potential return to the Test squad, chief selector Ajit Agarkar showed concerns about his fitness. The former India all-rounder, however, made it clear that had Shami been fit, he would have definitely travelled to Australia and England. In the meantime, the pacer wasn’t happy with the judgement as he claimed to be fit and ready for international cricket.
However, at the end of the day, Shami had to prove himself in the middle. In the ongoing Ranji Trophy, the Bengal pacer had the opportunity to send a message to the selectors, and he did it in style. After a seven-wicket haul in the first match against Uttarakhand, he went on to pick eight wickets against Gujarat, which helped Bengal win the match by 141 runs at the iconic Eden Gardens.
In the first innings, Shami picked up three, as Bengal restricted Gujarat to 167 runs, taking a lead of 112 runs. In the second innings, opener Sudip Gharami set the platform with a half-century, while veteran Anustup Majumdar scored 58. Towards the end, Shahbaz Ahmed and Akash Deep scored 20 and 25 runs respectively. Bengal declared their innings on 214 runs, setting up a target of 326 runs.
Gujarat fumble the chase
When it came to the chase, Gujarat were reduced to 50/3 at one stage. Keeper-batter Urvil Patel played some brilliant cricket, scoring a much-needed century. Jaymeet Patel made 45, but there was little to no contribution from others. Eight of the Gujarat cricketers scored in single digits as Bengal bowlers wreaked havoc. Shami clinched a five-wicket haul, while Shahbaz picked three.
As things stand, Shami has picked 15 wickets in two matches so far in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. However, it needs to be seen if it's enough for him to earn a call for the upcoming Test series against South Africa, starting November 14.