Ranji Trophy: UP push for win against Pondicherry as spinners rule

Forced to follow on after being dismissed for 172, Pondicherry were 39/0 in 11 overs at stumps, still trailing Uttar Pradesh by 122 runs. UP, who had posted 333 in the first innings, are chasing their third straight win in this Ranji season.

Leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari was the pick of UP attack, returning 4/11 from 18.1 probing overs. He took his season’s wickets tally to 16. His accuracy and drift proved too much for Pondicherry’s middle and lower order as he removed Aman Khan, Sagar Trivedi and Karan Kannan in quick succession, before wrapping up the innings by bowling Sagar Udeshi.

Pondicherry had begun steadily with captain Neyan Kangayan making a fluent 46 off 58 balls. But once the innings slipped from 64/3 to 95/5, Ansari and Kartik Yadav took control. Prasad Pawar offered the only substantial resistance with a patient 39 from 94 deliveries, but his dismissal at 170 effectively ended Pondicherry’s hopes of avoiding the follow-on.

Kartik Yadav, the teenage left-arm spinner, supported Ansari superbly with 3/60 from 23 overs. He accounted for Mohit Kale, Ankit Sharma and Prasad Pawar, maintaining relentless pressure with seven maidens. Left-arm seamer Yash Dayal struck twice for his 2/18, while Vansh chipped in with the wicket of Ritesh Gudge.

“There was no change in my attitude in this match too as I didn’t try anything special, but kept hitting the right spots,” said Ansari. "With wickets helping the spinners a lot, I am sure of a good show on the final day tomorrow."

UP had recovered from a difficult start to post 333 in 124.5 overs. Karan Sharma anchored the innings with a commanding 167 off 253 balls (13x4, 6x6) after the top order had faltered.

Pacer Shivam Mavi provided valuable late impetus with a brisk 50 from 61 deliveries, sharing useful stands with the lower order. Sagar Udeshi was Pondicherry’s most successful bowler with 4/64, while Ankit Sharma took 3 for 73.