Saurashtra, batting first on their home turf, struggled to find any rhythm against a disciplined Punjab attack led by the clinical Harpreet Brar. The left-arm spinner was the undisputed protagonist of the first innings, dismantling the Saurashtra lineup to finish with an impressive five-wicket haul. Brar’s standout moment came with the prized scalp of Ravindra Jadeja, who was sent back to the pavilion for just 7 runs, a dismissal that triggered a middle-order collapse. Despite the home side’s pedigree, they were bundled out for a modest 172, a total that many expected Punjab to chase down with relative ease given their star-studded batting order.
However, the second session told a vastly different story as Punjab’s reply stuttered from the outset. Batting at number five, Gill looked to stabilize the innings but was undone almost immediately by the guile of Parth Bhut. The Saurashtra spinner trapped the 26-year-old captain leg-before-wicket, sending him back to the dugout without troubling the scorers. The dismissal sparked an immediate reaction across social media, where fans were quick to draw unfavorable comparisons between Gill’s sudden dip in domestic form and the recent consistency struggles faced by Sanju Samson. With Gill’s departure, Punjab’s top order crumbled, leaving them reeling at 73/5 at the close of play.
The significance of this collapse extends beyond the scoreboard, as it casts a shadow over Gill's recent push for elite players to sharpen their skills in the Ranji Trophy before the transition to the shorter formats. As Punjab faces a daunting deficit heading into Day 2, the pressure now rests on the lower order to salvage the innings and prevent a first-innings lead for Saurashtra. This encounter serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of domestic red-ball cricket, where even the most established international stars are not immune to the rigors of a turning track and a determined bowling unit.
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