: The hallmark of a champion team is the ability to bounce back quickly and then drive home the advantage once it gets an opening in the game.
On Sunday, reigning champion Vidarbha showed how it is done when Nachiket Bhute (five for 65) blew away the Tamil Nadu middle-order in an incisive spell of fast bowling.
The right-arm pacer’s morning burst of 9-4-22-3, in which he removed the last three frontline batters, turned the game on its head and helped Vidarbha move into the ascendancy on day two of the Ranji Trophy (Elite Group-A) encounter here at the Sri Ramakrishna College ground.
Bhute, with a relatively new cherry in his hand, kept it simple by attacking the stumps relentlessly and reaped the rewards. Resuming on 252 for four, the host capitulated, losing the last six wickets for 21 runs and was bundled out for 291.
In reply, opener Aman Mokhade – who has scored centuries in the first two games – made a well-composed 80 as the visitor ended the day strongly on 211 for two.
Mokhade and the experienced Dhruv Shorey, who is unbeaten on 80, showed positive intent and kept the scoreboard moving, adding 123 for the second wicket.
It was another insipid effort from the TN bowlers, barring skipper R. Sai Kishore, who failed to create enough chances by being wayward in their lines and lengths.
Earlier, Bhute rattled Sharukh Khan’s stumps with a straight delivery that scooted low with the batter rooted to the crease when he would have been better served playing forward. Next, B. Indrajith played on to an incoming delivery, four short of a century, while S. Mohamed Ali was cleaned up, playing down the wrong line.
Left-arm spinner Parth Rekhade then cleaned up the tail, taking three wickets, putting the home team firmly on the back foot.
The scores: Tamil Nadu- 1st innings: S.R. Athish c Bhoyar b Hinge 3, R. Vimal Khumar c Wadkar b Bhute 2, Pradosh Ranjan Paul lbw b Bhute 113, C. Andre Siddarth b Karnewar 33, B. Indrajith b Bhute 96, M. Shahrukh Khan b Bhute 17, S. Mohamed Ali b Bhute 14, R. Sai Kishore c Mokhade b Rekhade 1, D.T. Chandrasekar c Bhoyar b Rekhade 1, Trilok Nag b Rekhade 3, Sandeep Warrier (not out) 0, Extras (lb-2, b-4, w-2): 8; Total (in 107.1 overs): 291
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-18, 3-73, 4-252, 5-270, 6-271, 7-286, 8-286, 9-290
Vidarbha bowling: Bhute 26-8-65-5, Hinge 23-6-62-1, Lalit 15-4-37-0, Rekhade 26.1-2-58-3, Karnewar 16-0-55-1, Bhoyar 1-0-8-0.
Vidarbha-1st innings: Aman Mokhade c Vimal b Sai Kishore 80, Satyam Bhoyar c Andre Siddarth b Sai Kishore 11, Dhruv Shorey (batting) 80, R. Samarth (batting) 24, Extras (b-6, lb-9, w-1): 16; Total (for two wkts in 68 overs): 211
Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-160
Tamil Nadu bowling: Warrier 14-1-31-0, Sai Kishore 24-5-72-2, Chandrasekar 14-0-43-0, Trilok 8-0-26-0, Mohamed Ali 8-0-24-0.
Published – November 02, 2025 08:48 pm IST
