Ranji Trophy 2023-24 Plate: Pragnay, Nitesh put Hyderabad back in control against Meghalaya

Meghalaya watched in dismay as K. Nitesh Reddy (122, 194b, 13×4, 4×6) and wicketkeeper-batter M. Sai Pragnay Reddy (102 n.o., 141b, 11×4, 1×6) strung together a brilliant, 131-run stand for the seventh wicket to put Hyderabad back on top, scoring 350 runs.

It thus took a 46-run lead on the second day of the Ranji Trophy Plate Group final at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Sunday.

Resuming at the overnight score of 25 for two in reply to Meghalaya’s 304 in the first innings, the home team lost in-form southpaw G. Rahul Singh who was surprised by the extra bounce from pacer Akash Choudhary, taking a brilliant return catch to make it 39 for three in eighth over.

Hyderabad captain Tilak Varma looked good playing some lovely strokes before mistiming a pull shot off pacer Dippu Sangma to be caught at mid-on.

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Hyderabad lost two more wickets with Akash sending back Chandan Sahani and then affecting a brilliant run-out to send back the well-set T. Ravi Teja. At 165 for six, Meghalaya could have hoped to realise its first objective of taking the first-innings lead.

But, that was not to be as Nitesh and Pragnay batted as well as they could, showing great cricketing discipline and wonderful stroke selection. The way the two paced the innings under pressure during that century stand was just too good for the Meghalaya bowlers.

Hyderabad’s M. Sai Pragnay Reddy celebrates his century against Meghalaya in the Ranji Trophy Plate Group final at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday.
| Photo Credit:
V.V. Subrahmanyan / The Hindu

Nitesh essayed some stunning strokes including a six over square-leg off Meghalaya’s best bowler Chengkam Sangma and cover-driving and steering Ram Gurung for two boundaries in one over.

He was lucky on 99 when his upper-cut saw Jaskirat Singh at third-man fail to latch on off Akash. But he soon, deservingly, completed his second century in his sixth match.

And, Pragnay Reddy was the more aggressive, unleashing some lusty blows every time the bowlers erred in line and length.

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Importantly, he blended defence and offence as the innings progressed to complete his maiden Ranji century in style in his seventh match, hooking Chengkam with only debutant and last man and debutant Rishab Baslas at the non-striker’s end.

Ironically, Rishab was out leg-before-wicket (lbw) in the next over to Dippu.

Meghalaya, in the second innings, was zero for one in 0.3 overs with left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan again providing the breakthrough.