Sonu and Ajith Ram put Tamil Nadu on verge of innings win over Chandigarh

Tamil Nadu tightened its grip on the Ranji Trophy Elite Group D fourth-round match against Chandigarh at the Sector-16 Ground in Chandigarh on November 4, 2026, as Sonu Yadav and S. Ajith Ram reduced the hosts to 189 for seven following on after dismissing them for 94 in the morning session. At stumps on the third day Chandigarh trailed by 288 runs and faced the prospect of an innings defeat.

Just before taking the field on Wednesday, the entire Tamil Nadu unit, including the support staff, gathered in a huddle and head coach Yo Mahesh yelled: “What do we have?” The players roared: “Freedom!” “How do we do it?” came the next question. “Together!” the group roared. Those two words — freedom and togetherness — dictated the third day’s play as TN tightened its grip, and the visitor needed just 17.3 overs in the morning session to dismiss Chandigarh for 94.

The second over of the morning set the tone when medium-pacer Sonu Yadav removed overnight batter Arjit Pannu by flattening his stumps with a full-length delivery and then sent Bhagmender Lather’s timber cartwheeling. A needless run-out accounted for Chiragvir Dhindsa and Sonu then disturbed Nikhil Sharma’s furniture as Chandigarh slipped to 76 for seven. Saravana Kumar later dismissed Akshit Rana and removed Jagjit Singh’s stumps, and Sonu returned to claim Nishunk Birla to finish the innings.

Chandigarh first innings (in 37.3 overs): Nehal Pajni b Gurjapneet 8, Arjun Azad lbw b Sai Kishore 21, Manan Vohra b Sai Kishore 15, Arjit Pannu b Sonu 3, Akshit Rana c Jagadeesan b Saravana Kumar 12, Bhagmender Lather b Sonu 1, Chiragvir Dhindsa run out 14, Nikhil Sharma b Sonu 0, Nishunk Birla c Vimal b Sonu 14, Jagjit Sandhu b Saravana Kumar 0, Rohit Dhanda (not out) 0; Extras (b-4, lb-2): 6; Total (in 37.3 overs): 94. Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-34, 3-48, 4-49, 5-51, 6-76, 7-76, 8-88, 9-90.

Tamil Nadu’s bowlers shared the wickets in the first innings: Gurjapneet 11-3-31-1, Saravana Kumar 8-1-21-2, Sai Kishore 7-3-14-2, Ajith Ram 3-1-4-0, Sonu 8.3-4-18-4.

Following on, Chandigarh began its second innings with greater composure as openers Nehal Pajni and Arjun Azad (60, 90b, 8x4, 1x6) rotated the strike and took the score past 50 before R. Sai Kishore broke the 73-run stand thanks to a stunning effort at forward short-leg by G. Ajitesh just before lunch. With the surface easing in the afternoon, Manan Vohra (59, 72b, 11x4) and Arjun added 82 for the second wicket, but Arjun’s charge down the track to S. Ajith Ram resulted in a stumping and triggered a collapse.

After that breakthrough the wickets fell quickly: Saravana Kumar trapped Manan Vohra lbw, Ajith Ram removed Akshit Rana and Bhagmender Lather, Sai Kishore dismissed Chiragvir Dhindsa, and Ajith Ram later had Arjit Pannu c & b for 9, leaving Chandigarh 189 for seven at the close. Chandigarh second innings (for seven wkts. in 57 overs): Nehal Pajni c Ajitesh b Sai Kishore 26, Arjun Azad st. Jagadeesan b Ajith Ram 60, Manan Vohra lbw b Saravana Kumar 59, Arjit Pannu c & b Ajith 9, Akshit Rana lbw b Ajith 13, Bhagmender Lather c Indrajith b Ajith 0, Chiragvir Dhindsa c Ajitesh b Sai Kishore 1, Nikhil Sharma (batting) 13, Rohit Dhanda (batting) 1; Extras (b-2, lb-3, w-1, nb-1): 7; Total (for seven wkts. in 57 overs): 189. Fall of wickets: 1-73, 2-122, 3-155, 4-174, 5-174, 6-175, 7-185.

Tamil Nadu bowling figures in the second innings were Gurjapneet 10-1-44-0, Saravana Kumar 11-2-34-1, Sai Kishore 11-1-41-2, Sonu 8-3-28-0, Ajith Ram 16-5-32-4, Pradosh 1-0-5-0.

At stumps on the third day Chandigarh were 189 for seven while still trailing by 288 runs, leaving the hosts staring at an innings defeat as the match moved into its next session.