Jamshedpur, Nov 19: Andhra Pradesh registered a comprehensive victory over Jharkhand, winning by an innings and 81 runs in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match at Keenan Stadium. With this win, Andhra Pradesh secured seven points, including a bonus point, taking their total in the Group A standings to 22 and moving to second place. Jharkhand now stand third with 18 points.
On the fourth and final day, Jharkhand resumed their second innings from Tuesday’s score of 34 for 2 but were bowled out for 158. Sharandeep Singh Bhatia once again emerged as the top performer for Jharkhand, scoring 65 runs after his century in the first innings. For Andhra Pradesh, Saurabh Kumar delivered an impressive spell, taking five wickets for 47 runs, while Tripurana Vijay claimed three wickets for 39.
Abhishek Reddy, who smashed a double century (247 runs) in the match, was named Player of the Match. Speaking to Prabhat Khabar, he said Jamshedpur proved “lucky” for him as he managed to convert his long-standing scores in the 70s, 80s, and 90s into a big hundred after 10 years of first-class cricket. He credited his coach and team for their support.
Meanwhile, senior Jharkhand players have raised concerns over controversial umpiring decisions during the season. They have urged the BCCI to install front cameras in every match—even those not telecast live—to avoid disputes regarding caught-behind, slip catches, and close-in catches. Players believe third-umpire assistance should be available whenever on-field umpires face doubts.
The second phase of the Ranji Trophy is set to begin on 22 January. Jharkhand will face Uttar Pradesh in their next match in Meerut starting 22 January. During the upcoming one-and-a-half-month break, the team will participate in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Jharkhand captain Virat Singh said the team will begin preparations for white-ball cricket from Friday. “We have many good white-ball players, and we will aim for strong performances,” he added.
