Welcome to Sportstar‘s live coverage of the fourth day of the first round of the 2021-22 season of the Ranji Trophy.

UPDATES

Bengal v Baroda | Here’s our correspondent Y. B. Sarangi, who is at the Barabati stadium in Cuttack, with the summary of the day’s play so far: Bengal was in a spot of bother as it lost three wickets by the first drinks break on the final day of its contest against Baroda. Overnight batsman and captain Abhimanyu Easwaran was caught in the slips in the first over bowled by Dhruv Patel.Two experienced players Anustup Majumdar, overnight 22, and Sudip Chatterjee tried to steady the chase of 349 but Abhimanyu Singh provided a double jolt in his first over of the day by removing both. Anustup made 33, Sudip contributed 18. Bengal was at 190 for 5 needing 157 more to win.

HP v Punjab | At the Arun Jaitley stadium in New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh is into the lead now. But it has only four wickets in hand. Akash Vashisht is batting on 57 with P. M. Thakur.

Gujarat v MP | Gaja has two more. He’s wiping out the tail. Ishwar Pandey and Kuldeep Sen were both dismissed bowled. The ball came in a bit after pitching, on both those deliveries. MP 221 for 9. The lead: 164.

Bengal v Baroda | Two huge wickets for Baroda. Sudip Chatterjee and Anustup Majumdar are both dismissed. Sudip was out for 18 by Abhimanyu Singh, while Majumdar was out for 33, dismissed by the same bowler in the same over. Veteran Manoj Tiwary has the responsibility on his shoulders now. Not much batting to follow. 165 more needed.

Delhi v TN | Delhi has erased the deficit. Openers Yash Dhull and Dhruv Shorey have compiled 50 runs. The lead: 8.

Abhimanyu Singh celebrates after getting rid of Sudip Chatterjee. – BISWARANJAN ROUT

Gujarat v MP | Mihir Hirwani is out for 1. Caught behind. MP seven down now. Hirwani got a delivery that kept low; he tried to play an uncertain stroke, and got a thick edge. The ball flew to the right of wicketkeeper Het Patel, who dived to pouch the offering.

Saurashtra v MP | Saurashtra’s openers are solid in the first half hour of the day’s play. Thirty two runs have already been added. Here’s our correspondent Ayan Acharya: Sarfaraz Khan on a roll this morning: “Bahu saras, DK da. Kya bowling DK da, Khub saaru DK da, out che out che.” Manages to get a smile out of Rahane. Meanwhile, Snell is driving the ball like a dream. Avasthi at the receiving end for now.

Gujarat v MP | Chintan Gaja has a wicket now. He bowls a short-of-a-length delivery to Kumar Kartikeya; the ball came in sharply after pitching. Kartikeya couldn’t help but edge it behind. A bit of a send-off too, from Gaja. MP six down for 215.

Dhruv Patel celebrates with his team-mates after the dismissal of Abhimanyu Easwaran. – BISWARANJAN ROUT

J&K v Puducherry | Puducherry has been bowled out in the second innings for 124. That’s a lead of 41 runs. J&K needs to score 42 runs in the second innings to win.

Gujarat v MP | Yash Dubey drives, the ball catches the outside edge of his bat, and this time, there’s no mistake in the slips. Kalaria gets his wicket. Dubey departs for 20. MP five down for 208, lead 151.

Gujarat v MP | DROPPED! It’s short of a good length, from Roosh Kalaria. Shubham Sharma, batting on 70, cuts the ball; it flies to first slip, who drops it. The ball bursts through his hands as he shapes up to catch the ball over his shoulder. He can’t catch it on the rebound either.

Bengal v Baroda | Day four has begun at the Barabati stadium in Cuttack. Abhimanyu Easwaran couldn’t add to his overnight score of 79; he was dismissed by Dhruv Patel. Bengal is three wickets down now, with Anustup Majumdar and Sudip Chatterjee in the middle.

Gujarat v MP | Rajat Patidar tells broadcasters he had been looking to play with a straight bat to minimise the chances of edges on this track. He’s scored at a quick rate in the second innings because his team needs enough time to enforce a win. Gujarat, of course, has the first-innings lead and so will gain three points in case the match ends in a draw.

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After a disappointing day – he was out for a duck and not selected for the Test series against Sri Lanka – Cheteshwar Pujara has another chance to get some runs under his belt. And if it prevents a defeat for his side, it will be even sweeter. Saurashtra needs to bat the entire day to escape with a draw. The openers have given the team a good start, but it’s still an uphill task.

HIGHLIGHTS – Ranji Trophy, Round 1, Day 3

Bengal, too, has an uphill task ahead but a victory is still possible. Abhimanyu Easwaran, batting on 79, will hope to continue on for a long innings.

And in Guwahati, Tamil Nadu already has the upper hand over Delhi, as it has the first-innings lead. The match will likely end in a draw.

A reminder: 16 matches will be held today across India. Three matches are already over: Chhattisgarh, Manipur and Kerala won their respective matches.