Siddharth Desai, the left-arm spinner, delivered a stellar performance with six wickets for 61 runs, leading Gujarat to a dominant first innings lead of 160 runs against TNCA President’s XI in the third round of the Buchi Babu tournament. The match, played at the Salem Cricket Foundation (SCF) ground, saw Desai exploit the pitch’s conducive conditions for spin, claiming six wickets with close-in fielders positioned strategically around the wicket.
Desai’s spin and sharp bounce proved too much for the TNCA President’s XI batsmen. He claimed the key wicket of Radhakrishnan (19) just before lunch, with the batsman nicking a delivery that spun sharply off the surface to the keeper. The 24-year-old then bowled A. Badrinath (2) through the gate with his deceptive arm-ball. Desai went on to remove K.T.A. Madhava Prasad (27) with a delivery that pitched on middle-and-off and turned just enough to hit the top of off-stump. He also dismissed Rithik Easwaran (11), who charged at Desai and flicked the ball straight to Umang Rohitkumar at short midwicket.
Desai’s impressive spell continued, as he dismissed Mohamed Ali (56, 77b, 6×4, 2×6) with a cleverly disguised delivery that lured the batsman into a lofted shot, leading to a stumping. He completed his five-wicket haul by trapping M. Mohammed (3) leg before wicket, with Priyank Panchal taking a catch at slip.
Despite Desai’s dominance, TNCA President’s XI managed to reach a total of 211 runs thanks to a valiant effort from Ali and Andre Siddarth (55 n.o., 62b, 8×4, 1×6). Ali, coming in at 33 for three, counterattacked with two sixes off Desai in the same over, showcasing his aggressive approach. He later reached his fifty off 54 balls, forging a crucial 79-run partnership with Madhava Prasad for the fourth wicket.
However, opener Vimal Khumar (10) suffered an unfortunate dismissal, hit on the back arm while attempting to pull a sharp bouncer from Dhrushant Soni. The ball spun back onto his stumps, marking a turning point in TNCA President’s XI’s innings.
Gujarat resumed their innings and reached six for two at the close of play, extending their lead to 166 runs. With Desai’s crucial contribution and Gujarat’s strong batting performance, the team is in a commanding position to secure a victory in this crucial Buchi Babu tournament match.
