Hat-trick hero Sai Kishore seals seven points for Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Left-arm spinners Sai Kishore (6/34) and S Ajith Ram (4/33) picked up all ten wickets in the second innings against Uttarakhand to give Tamil Nadu seven crucial points, and an innings and 66-run victory in the Ranji Trophy Elite, Group D encounter here on Tuesday. 

The platform, however, was well set earlier on day two when Pradosh Ranjan Paul scored a sublime 279-ball 136, taking Tamil Nadu to 313. Uttarakhand, who began day three on 9/1, had its hopes pinned on Dega Nischal and Kunal Chandela. However, those hopes were put to rest when Ajith Ram sent Nischal back to the pavilion. An over later, the left-arm spinner trapped Chandela right in front, as Uttarakhand went from 39/1 to 42/3, tilting the game in the hosts’ favour. 

Kishore then joined the party, cleaning up Jagadeesha Suchith down the leg side. Avneesh Sudha, who scored a fifty in the first innings didn’t last too long after, as Ajith Ram picked up his third wicket. Just overs after lunch, the Tamil Nadu skipper ran through the opponents, including a hat-trick, where he removed Lakshya Raichandani (18), Saurabh Rawat (0) and Aditya Rawat (0). 

“I didn't bowl with the intention of taking a hat-trick; I was just focusing on doing my job. When you stay honest with yourself and put in the hard work, God rewards you with these moments,” Kishore told journalists after the game.

The TN skipper then picked up Devendra Bora’s wicket before Ajith Ram wrapped up the innings removing Mayank Mishra, bowling Uttarakhand out for 113 on day three. “It was a commanding victory, and I am very happy to be bowling alongside Ajith [Ram] again,” he said. 

“He is returning from a long injury layoff, so both of us were genuinely thrilled to share the field once more. It is only in each other's absence that we truly appreciate one another's value."

However, the left-arm spinner revealed that he won’t let himself ‘truly celebrate’ unless the state overcomes its drought, and wins the Ranji Trophy. 

“Winning the Ranji Trophy is intensely personal to me. Until that goal is accomplished, I can't let myself truly celebrate,” he concluded.

Brief Scores: Tamil Nadu 313 in 109 overs (Pradosh Ranjan Paul 136, Indrajith 77) beats Uttarakhand 134 in 56.2 overs & 113 in 45.4 overs (Kishore 6/34, Ajith 4/33) by inns and 66 runs; Tamil Nadu : 7 (6+1 bonus pt)