Bengal’s perfect start to the Ranji Trophy season ended abruptly on Thursday as they suffered their first defeat, losing by 10 wickets to Maharashtra in an Elite Group ‘C’ clash at Eden Gardens. The comprehensive nature of the loss, which occurred with a full session of play remaining, marked a stark contrast to the earlier uncertainty caused by bad light and rain over the preceding days. By securing the maximum seven points from the victory, Maharashtra climbed to the top of the table with 19 points, displacing Bengal from the leader’s position.
Maharashtra’s 10-wicket thrashing at Eden Gardens exposes Bengal’s fragile batting depth
The result leaves Bengal in second place with 18 points, but the margin for error has vanished as Gujarat closes in with 16 points at third. The defeat was particularly painful for the hosts, who returned empty-handed from their second home match of the campaign. Despite the weather interruptions, the speed at which Maharashtra chased down the target highlighted significant gaps in Bengal’s bowling attack and overall match strategy, raising questions about their readiness for the upcoming international break.
Skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran offered little comfort, candidly admitting that the manner of defeat was more damaging than the result itself. “It’s the way we lost that hurts most,” Easwaran stated. “We played poor cricket.” In contrast, Maharashtra captain Prithvi Shaw credited his bowlers for setting the stage, specifically highlighting the crucial 72-run last-wicket partnership between Tanay Sanghavi and Pradeep Dadhe in the first innings. Shaw noted that the match remained competitive until that late-innings surge, which ultimately shifted the momentum decisively in favor of the visitors.
Source: Yahoo Sports
