Thanks to Gharami’s unbeaten hundred (136 batting, 227b, 19×4, 1×6), Bengal, asked to bat, registered a decent total.
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On a conducive track, J&K pacers exploited the pleasant morning conditions to get some movement and left-armer Sunil Kumar removed Sudip Chatterjee in the second over.
Riding his luck, Gharami batted positively and used the Decision Review System to get two decisions overturned. He also saw Yudhvir Singh grass a difficult caught and bowled chance early.
After 18 dot balls, Gharami spectacularly opened his account by hoisting Sunil over long-off. He formed a vital 85-run partnership with skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran (49, 96b, 6×4, 1×6), who drove and cut nicely, as they blunted the hard-working rival pace attack.
The script changed swiftly after Lunch as J&K pace spearhead Auqib Nabi, displaying exceptional application with discipline and consistency, scalped Abhimanyu and Suraj Jaiswal. Abhimanyu could not protect his off-stump, while Jaiswal edged one to the wicketkeeper.
An unperturbed Gharami, who cut deftly, drove authoritatively and swept assuredly, forged another 66-run with a sedate Anustup Majumdar as Bengal gathered runs at a faster pace.
Gharami reached his eighth hundred in the first over after Tea and kissed his locket like Virat Kohli. He formed a critical 94-run stand with Shahbaz Ahmed, who played a supporting role after getting dropped on one off Nabi. They played deliveries on merit as an overenthusiastic J&K spent its reviews by the 56th over.
Flourishing well, Gharami made a statement by unleashing two glorious straight drives for four off Yudhvir before Sunil dismissed Shahbaz (42, 91b, 4×4) to enliven J&K before stumps.
Scores
Bengal — 1st innings: Abhimanyu Easwaran b Nabi 49, Sudip Chatterjee c Pundir b Sunil 0, Sudip Gharami (batting) 136, Suraj Jaiswal c Wadhawan b Nabi 0, Anustup Majumdar lbw b Abid 14, Shahbaz Ahmed lbw b Sunil 42; Extras (lb-2, nb-5, w-1): 8; Total (for five wkts in 79.5 overs): 249.
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-89, 3-89, 4-155, 5-249.
Jammu and Kashmir bowling: Nabi 18-3-48-2, Sunil 16.5-7-31-2, Yudhvir 13-4-47-0, Abid 18-3-80-1, Vanshaj 11-1-34-0, Samad 3-0-7-0.
Toss: Jammu and Kashmir.
Published on Feb 15, 2026
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