Ranji Trophy: Dhruv Patel gives Baroda the edge against sloppy Uttar Pradesh

The batter scored 124 to lift Baroda to 269/6 at stumps on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A tie after UP drop four catches in Kanpur.

Uttar Pradesh were left to rue four dropped catches as Baroda reached 269/6 on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on Monday.

Dhruv Patel hit his maiden first-class century on Monday. (BCCI Domestic - Screengrab)

Dhruv Patel’s maiden first-class century anchored the visitors’ innings in a contest both teams needed to win to strengthen their knockout prospects.

UP began well after Baroda chose to bat. Yash Dayal removed Priyanshu Moliya cheaply, and Kartik Yadav dismissed Shivalik Sharma for 20 to reduce Baroda to 55/2 in the 23rd over. However, four missed catches allowed Baroda batters to rebuild the innings and accelerate against an attack that had otherwise kept the scoring in check. The errors proved especially damaging on a pitch where runs were not coming easily. Baroda scored at just over three runs an over.

Dhruv Patel was the backbone of Baroda’s innings, scoring 124 off 267 balls (17x4, 1x6). His knock combined discipline and placement, punishing UP every time a chance went down. Patel eventually fell to Karan Sharma at 249/4 in the 80th over, but by then he had given Baroda a platform that had looked unlikely after the early setbacks.

Shashwat Rawat made 47 from 88 balls (8x4) before becoming Karan Sharma’s second victim, caught by wicketkeeper Aryan Juyal. His 141-run third-wicket partnership with Patel had blunted UP’s attack and shifted the momentum towards Baroda.

Mitesh Patel then added 49 off 70 deliveries (7x4) before edging Kartik Yadav to Juyal. Dhruv Patel’s dismissal sparked a collapse. Raj Limbani was dismissed first ball by Karan Sharma after Mitesh Patel fell as Baroda lost three wickets at the score of 249/3.

Debutant Manan Solanki was 11 not out while captain Atit Sheth was nine not out. Their unbroken seventh-wicket stand, though modest, kept Baroda’s hopes of pushing their score past the 300 mark after bad light ended the day’s play.

Karan Sharma was UP’s standout bowler, returning 3/39 from 17 overs at an economy of 2.29. Kartik Yadav took 2/73, extending his form after claiming 27 wickets in UP’s first three matches.

Yash Dayal, Shivam Mavi, Zeeshan Ansari and Prashant Veer bowled tidily without reward. UP’s decision to include all-rounder Prashant Veer in place of in-form left-arm spinner Vaibhav Chaudhary did not pay off, as Veer went wicketless, conceding 53 runs in 12 overs.

Both sides came into the fixture with two wins and a draw, from three matches. Baroda sit second in Elite Group A on 17 points, one ahead of third-placed UP on 16.

With Mahesh Pithiya, Rasikh Salam and Bhargav Bhatt yet to bat, Baroda will aim to push their score on Tuesday morning. UP will hope to improve their fielding and catching first before their turn to bat comes.