Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Sudip Gharami’s epic 299 puts Bengal closer to semifinal berth
The 26-year-old’s monumental effort (299, 596b, 31×4, 6×6), lasting 15-and-a-half hours over three days, earned Bengal a decisive lead over Andhra on the fourth day of the quarterfinal match at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground here.
The host, resuming from 418 for six, posted a gigantic aggregate of 629 to secure a huge 334-run lead and virtually eliminate Andhra, which tottered at 64 for three.
Gharami retained his focus and prospered with his overnight partner Shakir Habib Gandhi.
Beginning from 216, Gharami played deliveries on merit while switching between caution and aggression. He executed some glorious shots on the carpet and danced down the track beautifully against the spinners to hit six sweetly-timed sixes.
READ | Who has qualified for semifinals of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26?
Gandhi (95, 229b, 8×4, 1×6), starting from 45, gathered five runs in the first 70 minutes before showcasing well-timed cuts and drives. He benefitted from a ‘life’ but missed a century, getting trapped in front by part-time leg-spinner Shaik Rasheed in the middle session. His superb 221-run partnership with Gharami was the game changer.
Gharami, dropped on 251, continued until a Rasheed delivery moved in straight. He was the third batter after Martin Crowe (1991, New Zealand vs Sri Lanka) and Mike Powell (2006, Glamorgan vs Gloucestershire) to be dismissed on 299 in a First Class match.
”I played the role assigned to me. I’ve left the disappointment behind and look forward to the semifinals (against Jammu and Kashmir),” said Gharami.
Mohammed Shami (53, 33b, 7×4, 3×4) delighted with his fireworks and helped Bengal cross 600 and establish a 300-plus lead.
Rasheed scalped four wickets amid Andhra’s toil.
The scores
Andhra – 1st innings: 295
Bengal — 1st innings: Abhimanyu Easwaran c Rasheed b Nitish 1, Sudip Chatterjee b Sasikanth 13, Sudip Gharami b Rasheed 299, Anustup Majumdar c (sub) Revanth b Sasikanth 9, Suraj Jaiswal b Vijay 20, Shahbaz Ahmed b Saurabh 5, Sumanta Gupta c Gnaneshwar b Saurabh 81, Shakir Habib Gandhi lbw b Rasheed 95, Akash Deep c Raju b Rasheed 12, Mohammed Shami c Vijay b Rasheed 53, Mukesh Kumar (not out) 6; Extras (b-16, lb-8, nb-6, w-5): 35; Total (in 199.1 overs): 629
Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-27, 3-43, 4-123, 5-153, 6-318, 7-539, 8-569, 9-574
Andhra Pradesh bowling: Nitish 25-4-65-1, Saiteja 24-4-66-0, Sasikanth 20-4-59-2, Raju 26-4-70-0, Saurabh 55-13-124-2, Vijay 36-3-155-1, Rasheed 12.1-1-63-4, Bhui 1-0-3-0
Andhra – 2nd innings: C.R. Gnaneshwar b Jaiswal 20, Abhishek Reddy b Akash 5, Shaik Rasheed st. Gandhi b Shahbaz 8, Ricky Bhui (batting) 18, Nitish Reddy (batting) 1; Extras (b-4, lb-4, nb-3, w-1): 12; Total (for three wkts in 24 overs): 64
Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-43, 3-45
Bengal bowling: Mukesh 5-2-7-0, Akash 4-1-7-1, Jaiswal 7-0-24-1, Shami 3-1-7-0, Shahbaz 5-1-11-1
Published on Feb 09, 2026
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