Ranji Trophy 2026-27: Anuj Tiwary takes Chhattisgarh to five-wicket win over Andhra

Chhattisgarh's Anuj Tiwary used his feet to take down spin on the final day. | Photo Credit: K.V.S. Giri

In a bid to force an outright result in its favour, Andhra lost even the one point it could have secured through a draw as Chhattisgarh completed a five-wicket win in their Ranji Trophy Group B fixture at the DVR Ground in Vijaywada on Thursday.

After losing the first-innings lead, Andhra asked Chhattisgarh to chase a tricky 179-run target with one-and-a-half sessions left in the day.

Visiting captain and opener Anuj Tiwary led from the front with a 60 off 73 balls to set up the chase before Ajay Mandal and Dev Aditya Singh finished the game in the extended period of play.

Chhattisgarh was in a spot of bother when Saurabh Kumar cleaned up Amandeep Khare on 30, and Vikalp Tiwari in back-to-back overs, with 69 runs still required.

But Anuj, who often came down the track to tackle the turn, kept the scoreboard ticking and found occasional boundaries to take the chase forward. However, he too fell while trying to take down Saurabh, giving Andhra some hope for a comeback.

Aditya Singh, who usually bats lower down the order, was elevated to No.6 and began with a solid cover drive before smacking a six down the ground. He, alongside Mandal, ensured there was no shift in momentum and completed the chase, giving Chhattisgarh its first win of the season.

Andhra skipper Ricky Bhui trusted his bowlers to defend the target after declaring the innings at 184 for three. Bhui himself scored an unbeaten 72 off 75 balls, playing some lovely strokes around the picturesque ground. He was partnered by Karan Shinde, who followed his captain’s template and struck a 54-ball 53 on a pitch that lost its spice over the four days.

As soon as Shinde reached his half-century, Bhui declared the innings, hoping to push for all six points after losing the opportunity to take the first-innings lead earlier in the day, courtesy of Khare’s unbeaten 89.

Chhattisgarh needed 15 runs to go past Andhra’s 231, with only two wickets in hand. The bowlers made the visiting side fight for every run, but Khare ensured Chhattisgarh crossed the line, taking a six-run lead. It was a small but vital advantage that forced Andhra to go for an outright result, eventually costing it all the points.