India batsman Rinku Singh and rising IPL talent Dhruv Jurel came to Uttar Pradesh’s rescue following a top-order collapse on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy cricket match against Kerala at the SD College ground on Friday.
Early in the innings, Kerala pacer MD Nidheesh dismissed opener Samarth Singh (10) after Uttar Pradesh captain Aryan Jayal opted to bat under a cloudy sky. Aryan, at eight, survived an early scare when Rohan Kunnummal dropped him in the slips off Nidheesh.
Despite the reprieve, Aryan’s innings was short-lived as he edged a catch to wicketkeeper Vishnu Vinod off Vaisakh Chandran for 28. At that point, the UP captain had partnered with Priyam Garg, adding 58 runs for the second wicket. Following Aryan’s dismissal, UP faced a setback, slipping from 75 for one to 124 for five in the second session.
Rinku Singh and Dhruv Jurel shine for UP in Ranji Trophy
However, hopes of a quick end to UP’s innings were dashed by the resilient unbeaten 120-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Rinku Singh and Dhruv Jurel. Singh, renowned for his white-ball skills, adapted to the challenging pitch with a more conservative approach, reaching a resilient 71 not out. Jurel ably supported him with a patient 54 not out. Their unbroken stand steadied UP’s position at 244 for five when bad light halted play.
Sameer Rizvi, who made waves in the IPL 2024 auction by fetching a substantial sum of Rs 8.40 crore from the Chennai Super Kings, couldn’t convert his start into a substantial score against Kerala. Recognized as the ‘Right-Handed Suresh Raina’ and with two previous centuries in the tournament, Rizvi’s time at the crease was brief but entertaining. He smashed two sixes and two fours, scoring a quickfire 26 off just 18 balls before being caught by Kerala skipper Sanju Samson off Shreyas Gopal’s delivery.
Despite Rizvi’s inability to capitalize on his start, Rinku Singh and Dhruv Jurel’s partnership ensured that UP concluded the day with a fighting chance in the match.
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