Irani Cup — J&K’s Sunil, Lone stand out as bowlers rule the roost on opening day

Jammu and Kashmir’s Sunil Kumar, who complemented Auqib Nabi last season with 31 scalps, got the ball to deviate through the day. | Photo Credit: IMRAN NISSAR

The overhead conditions in Srinagar on Thursday were pristine. It meant that the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium was bathed in sunshine for most of the opening day of the Irani Cup fixture between Jammu & Kashmir and Rest of India. But the surface beneath, imperative as it is to how the action unfolds, had a healthy covering of grass.

It put the onus on the pace bowlers to seize the day. J&K’s attack, despite the absence of Auqib Nabi due to his involvement in India’s ODI series against the West Indies, didn’t disappoint.

With Sunil Kumar and Lone Nasir making three inroads each, the host bowled out the Rishabh Pant-led outfit for 237. It could have been a day of utter dominance for Paras Dogra & Co., but RoI’s pacers, namely Mukesh Choudhary and Akash Deep, nabbed a wicket apiece as the shadows lengthened in the final hour. J&K was 21 for two at stumps.

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Even as wickets tumbled, youngsters Shikhar Mohan and Ravichandran Smaran impressed with the willow for the visitors. While Shikhar scored 60 as opener, Smaran racked up an 83-ball 68 at No. 6.

The pick of the J&K bowlers was Sunil. The 29-year-old left-arm pacer from Jammu, who complemented Nabi last season with 31 scalps, got the ball to deviate throughout the day.

Shikhar was beaten on multiple occasions, but the southpaw from Ranchi dug in. His driving through the covers was elegant as he took RoI to 106 for two at lunch. All the hard work came undone after the break, however, when he edged a wide half-volley by Nasir. It triggered a dramatic collapse as RoI lost five wickets for 49 runs in 22.2 overs between lunch and tea.

Pant appeared unsettled and drove uppishly to cover point. But much to RoI’s relief, Smaran’s enterprising alliances with the tail – he put together 39 with Akash and 43 with Choudhary – ensured it wasn’t just one-way traffic.