Calcutta (India): Anustup Majumdar scored an unbeaten 94 to help Bengal reach 286 for five against Delhi on the opening day of Ranji Trophy Group A match here on Monday.
Majumdar survived a run-out chance to remain unbeaten alongside Shahbaz Ahmed (39 not out).
The hosts turned the game around in the second session as Majumdar found a fine ally in wicketkeeper-batsman Shreevats Goswami (59).
Scoring above four runs per over, the duo stitched a 117-run fifth wicket stand to give Bengal the edge.
“The ball was doing everything in the first session. it was turning, bouncing… It was a different game after lunch. They had a big bonus but the bowlers did not do justice to the toss,” said Bengal coach Arun Lal.
Bengal’s top three batsmen including last match”s triple centurion, Manoj Tiwary (7), got out cheaply inside lunch but Majumdar held firm in the next two sessions.
“He”s probably the most talented batsman in the team. There’s a lot of grace in his batting. He showed a lot of character otherwise we would have been 170 all out today,” Lal said of Majumdar.
Stand-in skipper Tiwary was deceived by the flight and turn as Bengal looked in real trouble at 72/3.
For Majumdar, who was dropped for first three matches this season, the situation was similar to that of their match against Hyderabad in the previous round when they were 60/3.
“The ball was seaming around but we lost some wickets cheaply. It was about seeing through it. It”s good to have contributed and took the team up,” Majumdar said.
Majumdar, who had made his debut in 2004-05 season, is now eyeing his first century since 2017-18.
“We will have to start from the scratch and see the new ball through. The right approach will be the key,” added Majumdar.
Brief Scores: Bengal 286/5; 87 overs (Anustup Majumdar 94 batting, Shreevats Goswami 59, Koushik Ghosh 46; Vikas Mishra 3/78) vs Delhi
