Ranji Trophy: Chintan Gaja's 4-fer restricts Saurashtra to 216
What's the story
Gujarat's skipper Chintan Gaja proved his mettle with the ball by taking four wickets in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Saurashtra.
His brilliant display limited Saurashtra to a paltry 216 on the opening day of the match.
Despite Chirag Jani's valiant 69, Saurashtra failed to stitch a big score.
Meanwhile, by the end of day one, Gujarat had laid a solid foundation with an unbeaten opening stand of 21.
Bowling mastery
Gaja's precision bowling restricts Saurashtra
Gaja, who is known for his precision bowling, was spot-on with his accuracy throughout his spell.
He bowled at a speed of 118 to 122km/h and took four wickets for just 48 runs in 21 overs, (nine maidens).
His performance proved to be the key in keeping Saurashtra's score under check.
Meanwhile, Gujarat openers Priyank Panchal (11 off 13 balls)and Arya Desai (10 off 17 balls) remain unbeaten at stumps on day one with a score of 21 without loss.
Batting struggle
Jani's resistance and Pujara's dismissal
Despite Saurashtra's struggles against Gujarat's bowling attack, opener Chirag Jani impressed with a resilient 69 off 148 deliveries.
He stitched a crucial partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara who scored 26 runs off 38 balls.
However, Pujara's innings ended when left-arm spinner Siddharth Desai dismissed him during an attempted aggressive shot. This wicket turned the match around.
Innings downfall
Saurashtra's innings collapse and Vasavada's struggle
Jani's dismissal by Gaja with a post-lunch rising delivery triggered Saurashtra's collapse.
Arpit Vasavada attempted to stabilize the innings with an unbeaten 39 off 79 balls but received minimal support from other batsmen.
Meanwhile, left-arm seamer Jaymeet Patel dominated the second session, dismissing Prerak Mankad (0 off six balls) and Samar Gajjar (four off nine balls) for low scores.
His impressive bowling further destabilized Saurashtra's batting lineup.
Match dominance
Gaja's final strikes put Gujarat in strong position
The post-lunch session proved challenging for Saurashtra, yielding just 36 runs while losing four wickets.
Gaja claimed two more wickets in the final session, placing Gujarat, the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy champions, in a strong position to secure a significant lead.
At stumps on day one, Saurashtra had scored 216 in their first innings while Gujarat was at 21 without loss.
Stats
The skipper's FC and current Ranji season numbers
With his four-wicket haul, the Gujarat skipper has now raced to 198 scalps across 58 matches.
Across 102 innings he boasts an average of 23-plus including nine four-wicket hauls and 10 five-wicket hauls.
Additionally, his best bowling inning reads 8/40, and his best match figures read 8/99.
Meanwhile, in this Ranji season, he has racked up 18 scalps in eight matches (13 innings), at an average of 28.44, (Best: 4/31).
According to ESPNcricinfo, he also owns three four-wicket hauls.