Ranji Trophy 2026/27: Dhruv Shorey hails Vidarbha batters’ collective approach against Goa

Vidarbha's Dhruv Shorey scored his fifth First Class century. | Photo Credit: PTI

Vidarbha’s Dhruv Shorey praised his side’s batting unit for sharing the responsibility of run-scoring after it entered a commanding position in its Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match against Goa at the VCA Jamtha Stadium in Nagpur.

Shorey scored a watchful 168 from 291 balls, his fifth Ranji ton for Vidarbha, and raised sizable partnerships with R. Samarth, Danish Malewar, and captain Akshay Wadkar as the host assumed a 222-run first-innings lead against the coastal side.

“Right now, every batter in this team has played. The good thing about this Vidarbha team is that every batter contributes, that’s why we’ve won championships over the last 3-4 years,” Shorey reflected after the third day’s play.

READ | Shorey’s 168 allows Vidarbha to push for win over Goa

“Obviously, being me, I like to take on responsibility and bat long for the team, but everyone takes responsibility here. Everyone knows their role.”

The 34-year-old enjoyed a prolific Ranji Trophy season in 2025-26, notching 525 runs at an average of 75 across his seven appearances, but he was clear that the new campaign represented a fresh start for him, saying, “Every season is a new season, every match is a new match, every day is a new day in our sport. So, we have to leave the last year behind, and focus on what’s coming.”

He noted that his innings had required him to take a watchful approach, saying, “We had some idea about the wicket, and that it wouldn’t be so easy to bat on the third or fourth day. Our conversation was about making partnerships. Even if it’s 2-3 runs, we had to keep the scoreboard ticking and run well.”

“We’ve seen that wickets tend to go in the first spell, so we didn’t want to give that away. Danish (Malewar) got out but Wadkar and I knew that if we play a little tight, we’ll get opportunities to score.”

His innings was also made more difficult by a vigorous cloud cover in the sky accompanied by strong breeze that almost forced a rain delay midway through the second session.

“It’s part of our game. We have to switch on and switch off,” said Shorey of the near-rain delay. “This is not something which is in our hands. As soon as the game starts, we have to be switched on. If the game stops, we have to switch off and just wait for the weather to get okay.”

He also opined that the side was in a good place to push for victory on the final day.

“It’s all about one wicket. There’s good help in the wicket, so it’s not easy for a new batsman to come in and bat normally.”