Gajjar sammar

Ranji Trophy Elite Group: Karnataka’s reluctance to declare early denied them a potential victory as their Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match against Saurashtra ended in a draw on the fourth and final day here on Saturday. Saurashtra finished at 128 for five in their second innings on an uneven surface when stumps were drawn, holding on for three crucial points.

Leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal once again proved to be Karnataka’s standout performer, taking three wickets in the second innings to complete a brilliant match haul of 11 wickets. His control, flight, and variations kept Saurashtra under constant pressure on a pitch that increasingly assisted the spinners.

Chasing an improbable 229 in just one and a half sessions, Saurashtra found themselves in trouble early at 43 for four in the 13th over. The track’s variable bounce and turn made batting a challenging task, and Shreyas exploited those conditions expertly. His delivery to dismiss Ansh Gosai perfectly showcased his mastery — a sharp googly that zipped through after pitching, sneaking past the right-hander’s static defence and crashing into the stumps.