RANJI TROPHY | Saurashtra vs Punjab match hurtles towards early finish as 23 wickets fall on day one

Key Highlights

• When offie Jass Inder got one to spin through Jay Gohil’s gates and hit the woodwork, Saurashtra was placed at 24 for three, with an overall lead of 57 runs and nightwatcher Dharmendra Jadeja at the crease.
• Saurashtra's Parth Bhut in action during the Ranji Trophy match against Punjab at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot, on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
• | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI With Saurashtra in need of outright wins in the last two games to keep its qualification hopes alive, it wasn’t a surprise to see a turning track on offer.
• While the pitch wasn’t as demonic as the scoreboard hints at, a combination of accurate bowling and lack of application by a majority of the batters resulted in a stark possibility of a two-day finish on the cards.
• So lopsided was the contest in favour of spinners that the three pacers combined from both teams bowled only 11 of the 93.2 overs that were played on the day.