New Stars Emerge in Ranji Trophy Clash
The ongoing Ranji Trophy match between Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh witnessed two spectacular debut performances that grabbed headlines on Day 2. While 19-year-old left-arm spinner Kartik Yadav announced his arrival with a magnificent five-wicket haul for Uttar Pradesh, 23-year-old batsman G Ajitesh demonstrated remarkable adaptability by scoring an unbeaten 86 for Tamil Nadu in his first red-ball appearance at the senior level.
Ajitesh's Masterful Transition to Red-Ball Cricket
Known primarily for his explosive six-hitting capabilities in white-ball cricket, Ajitesh showcased a different dimension to his game during his composed 153-ball innings. The Bengaluru-born cricketer, who was coached by Irfan Sait at Karnataka Institute of Cricket, displayed exceptional patience and shot selection on a pitch that offered little assistance to bowlers.
What made his innings particularly impressive was his disciplined approach. Contrary to his T20 reputation where the mid-wicket region is his strength, Ajitesh didn't score any of his nine boundaries in that area. Instead, he carefully picked his shots in front of the square against both seamers and spinners, showing maturity beyond his experience level.
Reflecting on his long-awaited Ranji debut, Ajitesh stated: "Good things come to people who wait. The debut has come at the right time. I am not going to complain. The attacking game is natural. But this is something I have worked on… to improve my red-ball game."
Kartik Yadav's Dream Debut Continues Tradition
On the other side, Uttar Pradesh's new spin sensation Kartik Yadav created history by taking a five-wicket haul on his first-class debut, continuing his remarkable pattern of successful debuts at every level. The 19-year-old from Prayagraj, who moved to Ghaziabad to pursue cricket, had previously achieved five-wicket hauls in his Under-19 and Under-23 debuts as well.
Despite being taken apart by centurion Baba Indrajith on the opening day, Kartik showed tremendous character to bounce back strongly. His crucial breakthroughs included trapping Indrajith one run short of 150 and dismissing Sonu Yadav with a similar delivery before wrapping up the tail efficiently.
The young spinner couldn't contain his excitement after completing his five-fer, running the distance before kissing the turf in celebration. "My father asked me if I wanted to study, but I wasn't keen. I wanted to play cricket and they didn't stop me," Kartik shared, highlighting his dedication to the sport.
Match Situation and Team Positions
Tamil Nadu managed to post 455 runs in their first innings, thanks to significant contributions from Baba Indrajith (149) and Ajitesh's unbeaten 86. However, the total might not be entirely safe given Uttar Pradesh's positive response, ending Day 2 at 87/1 with openers Abhishek Goswami and Madhav Kaushik showing aggressive intent.
The pitch conditions remained challenging for bowlers throughout, making the performances of both debutants even more commendable. With UP needing 368 more runs with 9 wickets in hand, both teams face a crucial Day 3 that could determine the match's outcome.
Brief scores: Tamil Nadu 455 (Baba Indrajith 149, G Ajitesh 86*; Kartik Yadav 5/103) vs Uttar Pradesh 87/1.
