Stats: Gautam Gambhir completes 6000 runs in Ranji Trophy

In the big games, you need your big players to shine. Gautam Gambhir has always been a big match player as he was the top scorer for India in both 2007 World T20 final and 2011 World Cup. So when Delhi were taking on Bengal in the Ranji Trophy semi-final all eyes were on the opener to lead from the front. The left-handed batsman scored a century and completed 6000 runs in his Ranji Trophy career becoming only 4th Delhi batsman to do so.

The left-handed batsman became only the fourth Delhi batsman to score 6000 or more runs for the team from the national capital in the Ranji Trophy. Only Mithun Manhas, Ajay Sharma, and Raman Lamba have scored more for Delhi. Mithun was a great servant of Delhi cricket and leads the charts having scored 7911 runs in his career.

Gambhir puts Delhi in driving seat

Bengal managed to post only 286 runs in the first innings, which was too far from a good first inning score given how good a batting surface the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune had produced. To still make most of their total Bengal needed early wickets to put pressure on Delhi but Gambhir and his partner Kunal Chandela didn’t allow that and built a 200-run stand for the first wicket.

The left-handed batsman played some attacking cricket as he scored at a strike rate of over 70 which is very impressive for a first-class game. He brought up his century with just 122 balls hitting 18 fours; the 42 ton of his first-class career. The veteran batsman found himself an able partner in the form of Chandela.

Playing by Gambhir’s side Chandela also brought up his century from 150 balls amidst a lot of cheers and applause from his teammates as it was his maiden first-class century.

After toiling hard right through, Bengal did manage three scalps towards the end and Indian pacer Mohammed Shami was also successful in forcing Gambhir to commit a mistake in the last over of the game.