Anuj Tiwary and Vikalp Tiwari steady Chhattisgarh to 279/7 at Hyderabad in Ranji Trophy on November 2, 2026
Anuj Tiwary and Vikalp Tiwari anchored Chhattisgarh to 279 for seven at Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 on November 2, 2026, after Hyderabad struck early. Rakshann Readdi provided the initial breakthrough when wicketkeeper Pragnay Reddy pouched a sharp catch to dismiss Ayush Pandey.
Chhattisgarh recovered from early jitteriness with patient batting from their top order and middle order. Anuj was reprieved twice when Aniketh Reddy and Pragnay Reddy failed to complete chances, while Mayank Verma kept the score ticking with a boundary roughly every other over. Aniketh Reddy then removed Mayank and Sanjeet Desai in the 26th over, the latter snaffled by Tanmay Agarwal at first slip. Amandeep Khare was also dismissed before lunch by Tanay Thyagarajann.
Anuj provided aggression at intervals, launching the day's first six over midwicket, and Vikalp answered four overs later by hitting Tanay over long-on. Tanay’s dismissal of Amandeep before lunch gave Hyderabad an early upper hand. A cool wind that descended thereafter coincided with a shift in momentum towards the visitors. The pair then consolidated with a substantial second-wicket stand.
The Anuj–Vikalp partnership produced 93 runs from 132 balls and established control for Chhattisgarh. Anuj brought up his fifty with a sweep to the backward square-leg boundary, while Vikalp maintained a brisk scoring rate and reached his fifty in 48 balls after striking three fours in the second over following lunch. C.V. Milind eventually trapped Anuj leg before, ending the 132-ball, 93-run stand.
Vikalp’s rhythm faltered after the partnership break: he scored only 19 runs in his next 48 balls before Ruthik Yadav breached his defense on the fourth ball after tea. In the late session Hyderabad employed short bowling to induce a mistake from Prateek Yadav, whose pull landed in Abhirath’s hands at backward square-leg. Bad light then brought stumps early.
Chhattisgarh — 1st innings: Ayush Pandey c Pragnay b Rakshann 17, Anuj Tiwary lbw b Milind 72, Mayank Verma c Pragnay b Aniketh 36, Sanjeet Desai c Tanmay b Aniketh 0, Amandeep Khare c Himateja b Tanay 0, Vikalp Tiwari b Ruthik 69, Jayant Yadav (batting) 36, Prateek Yadav c Abhirath b Rakshann 27, Ayan Mandal (batting) 9; Extras (b-4, lb-7, w-2): 13; Total (for seven wkts. in 87 overs) 279. Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-87, 3-87, 4-94, 5-187, 6-216, 7-264.
Hyderabad bowling figures: Milind 10-3-17-1, Tanay 26-4-89-1, Rakshann 12-1-34-2, Ruthik 18-1-69-1, Aniketh 21-4-59-2.
Play ended early because of bad light with Chhattisgarh 279 for seven after 87 overs.
