The Ranji Trophy, India’s venerable first-class tournament, often delivers tales of tenacity and tactical chess, and the recent Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard from the 2024-25 Elite Group D clash is a prime exhibit. Unfolding over four rain-interrupted days from January 23 to 26, 2025, at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, this encounter ended in a hard-fought draw, with Railways securing first-innings lead points after posting 250 and 124/5d against Assam’s 216.
For enthusiasts poring over the Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard, it’s a narrative rich in resilience: Bhargav Merai’s marathon 103 anchoring Railways’ first dig, Sumit Ghadigaonkar’s defiant 107 for Assam, and Kunal Yadav’s match-winning 5/65 haul earning Player of the Match honors.
The pre-match context, day-wise drama, a meticulous Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard dissection, player spotlights, strategic insights, and the tournament ramifications—ensuring the Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard takes center stage in this red-ball saga. The Ranji Trophy, celebrating of Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard its 90th edition in 2024-25, remains the crucible for Indian cricket’s unsung heroes, where state units like Railways—representing the nation’s railway workforce—and Assam, the northeastern powerhouse, vie for glory amid grueling multi-day battles.
Railways, perennial contenders with a 2019-20 title under their belt, entered under captain Pratham Singh, blending veterans like Karn Sharma with emerging talents such as Bhargav Merai. Their campaign had been patchy: a win over Chhattisgarh but losses to Tamil Nadu, leaving them mid-table in Group D. Assam, led by Swarupam Purkayastha, boasted a potent spin attack but batting inconsistencies had cost them dearly—a draw against Kerala and a defeat to Jharkhand. The Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard promised intrigue on Guwahati’s black-soil pitch, known for variable bounce and spin assistance post-Day 2, with weather forecasts hinting at showers that could truncate play.
Pre-Match Pulse: Form, Selections, and Toss Tactics
Guwahati’s humid January air set the scene as squads finalized line-ups. Railways’ strategy hinged on Merai’s solidity at No. 5 and Yadav’s seam bite, with off-spinner Karn Sharma providing middle-over control. Key inclusions: uncapped pacer Himanshu Sangwan for swing and wicketkeeper Upendra Yadav for stability. Assam countered with Mukhtar Hussain’s all-round prowess and Akash Sengupta’s left-arm spin, resting pacer Avinov Ghosh for Rahul Singh’s experience. Head-to-head history favored Railways (3 wins in 5), but Assam’s home advantage—unbeaten in Guwahati since 2022—tilted odds. Predictions: 55% chance of a draw due to weather, with Railways tipped for first-innings points if they crossed 300.
Toss drama ensued: Purkayastha won and bowled, eyeing early cloud cover for seamers Mukhtar and Rahul. The pitch offered green tinge, but curators assured even wear. Social media lit up with RanjiInGuwahati, fans debating if Merai’s patience could outlast Ghadigaonkar’s flair. As 3,000 spectators filled the stands, the Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard beckoned a classic—would Railways’ depth prevail, or Assam’s spin snare victory?
Day 1: Early Strikes and Merai’s Fortress – Railways Stumble to 118/5
Clouds loomed as Anchit Yadav faced Mukhtar Hussain’s probing outswinger. Disaster struck immediately: Yadav edged to Dipankar Das at second slip for a duck at 1/1 (2.2 ov). Suraj Ahuja and Pratham Singh rebuilt cautiously, Ahuja’s pulled six off Rahul injecting life. But Mukhtar’s accuracy shone—Singh bowled for 7 (9.6 ov), Ahuja caught behind for 37 (6.4 ov), leaving Railways 18/3. Vivek Singh’s labored 2 off 13 fell to Sengupta’s arm ball, slumping to 84/4 (22.5 ov).
Enter Bhargav Merai, the Mumbai import whose 103 (215 balls, 10 fours, 1 six) became the innings’ bedrock. Patient against Dutta’s seam, he rotated with Mohammad Saif (19), adding 34 before Saif’s nick to Ghadigaonkar (37.4 ov). Tea at 118/5, Merai 25*. Post-interval, Merai and Karn Sharma forged 116 for the sixth—Sharma’s 63 (8 fours) featured crisp drives, Merai’s cover four off Sengupta a highlight. But Rahul’s yorker felled Sharma at 234/6 (79.6 ov), triggering a collapse: Tyagi caught for 1 (82.4 ov), Sangwan bowled for 1 (84.5 ov), and Upendra Yadav nicking to Sarma for 0 (85.1 ov). Mukhtar’s 4/24 sealed 250 all out, extras 17 (12 no-balls irking umpires).
Assam’s reply: Sangwan’s swing dismantled the top—Musaraf bowled (2.2 ov), Rishav lbw (3.3 ov), Denish lbw (3.4 ov)—3/2, a horror triple-wicket maiden over. Sibsankar Roy (56) and Ghadigaonkar (107*) rebuilt to 131/4 by stumps, Roy’s lbw to Sangwan ending the stand. Day 1’s Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard: 250 vs 131/4, Mukhtar and Sangwan starring.
Day 2: Ghadigaonkar’s Masterpiece and Railways’ Riposte – Assam Fold at 216
Rain delayed start by 90 minutes, but Ghadigaonkar resumed dominantly—a slog-swept six off Sharma, boundaries piercing gaps. With Purkayastha (15), he added 48 before lbw to Yadav (53.2 ov). Mukhtar (12) edged Yadav, Sengupta caught behind (58.4 ov)—196/7. Ghadigaonkar’s 107 (11 fours, 1 six) was poetry, but Yadav’s 5/65 dismantled: Dutta bowled (62.2 ov), Sarma lbw to Sharma (65.2 ov). Assam 216, trailing by 34.
Railways’ second innings: Anchit Yadav (47, 9 fours) and Ahuja (52, 7 fours, 1 six) raced to 56/0 in 10 overs—Ahuja’s lofted cover drive a stunner. But Rahul’s arm ball bowled Ahuja (10.4 ov), Pratham Singh for 0 (10.2 ov? Wait, fall 2-56 at 10.4 for Ahuja, 1-56 for Yadav at 10.2). Upendra Yadav nicked Sengupta (11.6 ov). Stumps at 63/3, Merai 0*. Day 2’s Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard amplified the draw likelihood, Yadav’s haul pivotal.
Day 3: Weather Woes and Merai’s Anchor – Railways Declare at 124/5d
Showers limited play to 20 overs. Vivek Singh (12) stonewalled, but Dutta’s cutter induced a catch (26.6 ov). Merai (5*) and Sharma (3*) nudged to 124/5d (30 ov), enforcing follow-on? No—lead 158, declaration tactical for bonus points. Assam’s second dig aborted due to rain. The truncated day kept the Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard in flux.
Day 4: Frustrated Finish – Draw Sealed Amid Unfinished Business
Persistent drizzle curtailed Assam’s chase to a formality—needing 403 in 50 overs on a turning track, but play abandoned after inspection. Railways pocketed 3 points for first-innings lead, Assam 1. The Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard closed drawn, weather the unwitting villain.
Full Scorecard Breakdown: Unpacking the Numbers
The Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard’s essence shines in its stats—Merai’s endurance (318 balls faced aggregate), Yadav’s wickets (5 at 3.42 economy). Below, full-sized tables detail every dismissal, over, and economy, revealing Railways’ batting maturity (average 25 per wicket) vs Assam’s top-order implosion.
Railways 1st Innings (85.1 overs)
Total: 250 all out (Run Rate: 2.93) Extras: 17 (lb 4, nb 12, w 1) Fall of Wickets: 1-1 (Anchit Yadav, 2.2 ov), 2-14 (Suraj Ahuja, 6.4 ov), 3-18 (Pratham Singh, 9.6 ov), 4-84 (Vivek Singh, 22.5 ov), 5-118 (Mohammad Saif, 37.4 ov), 6-234 (Bhargav Merai, 78.3 ov), 7-238 (Karn Sharma, 79.6 ov), 8-244 (Purnank Tyagi, 82.4 ov), 9-250 (Himanshu Sangwan, 84.5 ov), 10-250 (Upendra Yadav, 85.1 ov)
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchit Yadav | c DP Das b Mukhtar Hussain | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Suraj Ahuja | c DP Das b Mukhtar Hussain | 37 | 59 | 4 | 2 | 62.71 |
| Pratham Singh (c) | b Mukhtar Hussain | 7 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 41.18 |
| Vivek Singh | c Sarma b Sengupta | 2 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 15.38 |
| Bhargav Merai | c Sarma b Sengupta | 103 | 215 | 10 | 1 | 47.91 |
| Mohammad Saif | c †Ghadigaonkar b Dutta | 19 | 58 | 2 | 0 | 32.76 |
| Karn Sharma | b Rahul Singh | 63 | 132 | 8 | 0 | 47.73 |
| Purnank Tyagi | c DP Das b Dutta | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 11.11 |
| Himanshu Sangwan | b Mukhtar Hussain | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16.67 |
| Upendra Yadav (wk) | c Sarma b Mukhtar Hussain | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Assam Bowling (1st Innings)
| Bowler | Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mukhtar Hussain | 16 | 5 | 24 | 4 | 1.50 |
| Rahul Singh | 17.1 | 2 | 57 | 3 | 3.32 |
| Akash Sengupta | 17 | 3 | 59 | 2 | 3.47 |
| Mrinmoy Dutta | 21 | 4 | 58 | 1 | 2.76 |
| Karn Sharma | 10 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 3.70 |
| Sumit Ghadigaonkar | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3.33 |
| Bhargav Merai | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.00 |
Assam 1st Innings (65.2 overs)
Total: 216 all out (Run Rate: 3.30) Extras: 10 (b 1, lb 4, nb 5) Fall of Wickets: 1-0 (Parvej Musaraf, 2.2 ov), 2-2 (Rishav Das, 3.3 ov), 3-2 (Denish Das, 3.4 ov), 4-131 (Sibsankar Roy, 40.1 ov), 5-179 (Swarupam Purkayastha, 53.2 ov), 6-196 (Sumit Ghadigaonkar, 57.3 ov), 7-200 (Akash Sengupta, 58.4 ov), 8-200 (Mukhtar Hussain, 59.1 ov), 9-208 (Mrinmoy Dutta, 62.2 ov), 10-216 (Kunal Sarma, 65.2 ov)
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parvej Musaraf | b Sangwan | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Rishav Das | lbw b Kunal Yadav | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 9.09 |
| Denish Das | lbw b Kunal Yadav | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Sibsankar Roy | lbw b Sangwan | 56 | 101 | 7 | 0 | 55.45 |
| Sumit Ghadigaonkar | c †UD Yadav b Sangwan | 107 | 176 | 11 | 1 | 60.80 |
| Swarupam Purkayastha (c) | lbw b Kunal Yadav | 15 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 44.12 |
| Mukhtar Hussain | c Merai b Kunal Yadav | 12 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 54.55 |
| Akash Sengupta | c †UD Yadav b Sangwan | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Kunal Sarma | lbw b Sharma | 8 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 32.00 |
| Mrinmoy Dutta | b Kunal Yadav | 7 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 70.00 |
Railways Bowling (1st Innings)
| Bowler | Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Himanshu Sangwan | 21 | 7 | 59 | 4 | 2.81 |
| Kunal Yadav | 19 | 5 | 65 | 5 | 3.42 |
| Rahul Singh | 10 | 2 | 37 | 0 | 3.70 |
| Karn Sharma | 12.2 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 3.17 |
| Bhargav Merai | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 3.67 |
Railways 2nd Innings (30 overs, Declared)
Total: 124/5d (Run Rate: 4.13) Extras: 5 (nb 2, w 3) Fall of Wickets: 1-56 (Anchit Yadav, 10.2 ov), 2-56 (Suraj Ahuja, 10.4 ov), 3-63 (Upendra Yadav, 11.6 ov), 4-110 (Pratham Singh, 25.3 ov), 5-116 (Vivek Singh, 26.6 ov)
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchit Yadav | b Rahul Singh | 47 | 45 | 9 | 0 | 104.44 |
| Suraj Ahuja | b Sarma | 52 | 65 | 7 | 1 | 80.00 |
| Pratham Singh (c) | b Rahul Singh | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Upendra Yadav (wk) | c Mukhtar Hussain b Sengupta | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Vivek Singh | c sub (PPK Saikia) b Dutta | 12 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 26.09 |
| Bhargav Merai | not out | 5 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Karn Sharma | not out | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
Assam Bowling (2nd Innings)
| Bowler | Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mukhtar Hussain | 3 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 9.00 |
| Rahul Singh | 9 | 1 | 41 | 1 | 4.56 |
| Akash Sengupta | 6 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 1.50 |
| Mrinmoy Dutta | 6 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 3.50 |
| Kunal Sarma | 6 | 1 | 26 | 1 | 4.33 |
Stellar Strokes and Spin Spells: Performers and Pivots
Kunal Yadav’s 5/65—pinpoint lbws and edges—netted MOTM, his economy 3.42 suffocating Assam. Bhargav Merai’s 103, facing 215 balls with 10 boundaries, was gritty, his 116-run stand with Sharma (63) the glue. Sumit Ghadigaonkar’s 107, with elegant drives and a six, nearly salvaged Assam, his 129-run alliance with Roy (56) defiant. Himanshu Sangwan’s 4/59 complemented Yadav, his swing extracting four poles.
Pivots: Assam’s 3/2 nightmare handed Railways control; Merai’s ton thwarted a follow-on. Tactics: Purkayastha’s bowl-first backfired on a dry track; Singh’s declaration at 124/5d chased bonus points wisely. The Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard’s extras (32 total) irked, no-balls gifting 17.
Echoes in Elite Group D: Points, Prospects, and Parity
The Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard has sent ripples through Elite Group D standings. Railways’ hard-earned three points from the first-innings lead lifted them to 12 points, placing them joint-second with Kerala and firmly in the quarter-final race. Assam, despite Sumit Ghadigaonkar’s century, settled for a solitary point, remaining rooted near the bottom with just 5 points—now staring at a tough relegation fight.
For Railways, the Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard underlines their batting resilience and bowling depth, especially Kunal Yadav’s match-defining five-for. Upcoming fixtures against Jammu & Kashmir and Tamil Nadu will test whether they can convert draws into wins. Assam must regroup quickly; matches against Tamil Nadu and Chandigarh are do-or-die to avoid the drop.
Beyond points, the Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard highlights the growing parity in Indian domestic cricket. A northeastern side pushing a traditional powerhouse to the brink on home soil proves that talent is no longer confined to metros. As Group D tightens, every run and wicket from this gripping encounter will be remembered as a turning point in the season.
Conclusion: The Enduring Allure of the Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team Match Scorecard
The Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard, will be remembered as a classic Ranji Trophy draw that had everything except a decisive result. From Merai’s marathon century to Ghadigaonkar’s heroic fightback and Kunal Yadav’s five-for, the Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard showcased the depth and drama only first-class cricket can deliver. Even with rain playing spoilsport, the Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard awarded Railways three crucial first-innings points, keeping their quarter-final hopes alive while Assam gained one valuable point in their survival battle.
For every cricket enthusiast revisiting this fixture, the Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard stands as proof that domestic red-ball cricket remains the heartbeat of Indian cricket—full of grit, skill, and stories waiting to be told.In the end, the Railways Cricket Team vs Assam Cricket Team match scorecard is more than numbers; it’s a timeless chapter in Ranji lore that reminds us why we fall in love with the longest format again and again.
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