Bengal seized control of their Ranji Trophy semi-final with a disciplined all-round display, headlined by Sudip Kumar Gharami’s authoritative century and a fiery new-ball burst from their experienced pace duo. After posting 328 in the first innings, Bengal reduced Jammu and Kashmir to 198/5 at stumps on Day 2, securing a 130-run lead and placing themselves in a commanding position heading into the third day.
Sudip’s marathon anchors Bengal
Resuming at 249/5, Bengal’s immediate focus was to stretch their total beyond 300. Sudip, unbeaten on 136 overnight, added 10 more runs before falling for a well-crafted 146 off 246 deliveries, striking 21 fours and a six. His knock blended patience with control, absorbing pressure and capitalising on loose deliveries.
Shakir Habib Gandhi contributed only four, but lower-order batter Sumanta Gupta added a crucial 39 to push Bengal to 328. The total, while not mammoth, proved competitive on a surface offering assistance to the seamers.
Sami–Mukesh strike early
With the ball, Bengal’s pace battery wasted no time. Mohammad Sami removed opener Shubham Khajuria for three and trapped Yawer Hasan LBW for two. Mukesh Kumar then dismissed Shubham Singh, leaving Jammu and Kashmir reeling at 13/3 inside the opening spell.
From a precarious position, Paras Dogra (58 off 112) and Abdul Samad (82 off 85) stitched together a 142-run partnership, restoring parity. Samad’s counterattacking strokeplay shifted momentum briefly before Sami broke the stand. Mukesh struck in the following over to remove Dogra, halting the revival.
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At the close of play, Jammu and Kashmir remained 130 runs behind with five wickets in hand. Bengal will target swift breakthroughs on Day 3 to secure a decisive first-innings advantage and strengthen their push toward the final.
