Cricket enthusiasts, buckle up for a deep dive into one of the most one-sided encounters of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season.It’s where raw talent meets unyielding grit, and where underdogs occasionally steal the show. But in the recent clash encapsulated by the Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard, it was anything but a fairy tale for the visitors. Played from January 30 to February 1, 2025, at the picturesque Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, this Elite Group D encounter saw Saurashtra deliver a clinical, innings-and-144-runs thrashing to Assam.
If you’re scouring the Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard for insights into what made this victory so emphatic, buckle up—this deep dive will unpack every boundary, wicket, and tactical nuance.The Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard isn’t just numbers on a page; it’s a narrative of dominance. Saurashtra, led by the ever-reliable Cheteshwar Pujara and powered by a batting lineup that oozed class, piled up 474 in their first innings.
Assam, despite flashes from Riyan Parag and Mukhtar Hussain, crumbled to 164 and then 166 in their second dig on follow-on. Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard This result propelled Saurashtra up the points table, earning them a whopping 7 points while Assam limped away with zilch. As we dissect the Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard, we’ll explore the pre-match buildup, the day’s drama, standout performers, and what this means for both sides’ campaigns.
Pre-Match Buzz: Setting the Stage for Saurashtra vs Assam
Before delving into the Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard, let’s rewind to the anticipation. Saurashtra entered this fixture as defending champions of the Ranji Trophy (from the 2022-23 edition), with a squad brimming with experience. Captain Jaydev Unadkat, the wily left-armer, had his troops primed after a mixed start to the 2024-25 season. Key cogs like Pujara, Sheldon Jackson, and the Jadeja duo—Ravindra and Dharmendrasinh—promised a blend of steel and silk.
Assam, on the other hand, were the plucky outsiders. Coached by the astute P. Mukhopadhyay, they boasted young guns like Riyan Parag (fresh off IPL exploits with Rajasthan Royals) and opener Pradyun Saikia. Their recent form was patchy—a win here, a loss there—but Parag’s all-round prowess made them dangerous. Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard The pitch at Rajkot, typically batsman-friendly with a tinge of green early on, favored the team winning the toss. Saurashtra duly obliged, opting to bat first. Little did Assam know this decision would haunt them, as reflected starkly in the Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard.
Weather played its part too: clear skies throughout, with temperatures hovering around 25°C, ensuring a full four days of uninterrupted action. Fans in Gujarat turned out in droves, drawn by Pujara’s homecoming and the promise of high-octane domestic fare. Social media buzzed with predictions—Saurashtra favored at 70-30 odds—but Assam’s supporters clung to hopes of a Parag masterclass.
Day 1 Drama: Saurashtra’s Solid Foundation
The Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard opens with a bang on Day 1. Openers Chirag Jani and Harvik Desai strode out under sunny skies, facing Assam’s spearhead Mukhtar Hussain. Jani, the aggressive left-hander, set the tone with a fluent 130 off 181 balls, laced with 17 fours and a six. His partnership with Desai (80 off 78, 14 fours) yielded 146 runs before Mukhtar struck.
Desai’s lbw dismissal to off-spinner Rahul Singh brought a hush, but Sheldon Jackson (99 off 167) and Pujara (48 off 86) rebuilt masterfully. Jackson’s near-century was a lesson in patience, mixing drives with nudges, while Pujara’s compact technique frustrated Assam’s attack. By stumps, Saurashtra were 361/3, with Arpit Vasavada unbeaten on 8. Assam’s bowlers toiled—Mukhtar’s 3/125 from 30 overs the standout— but the damage was done. This platform would prove pivotal in the overall Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard.
Day 2: All-Round Mayhem and Follow-On Looms
Day 2 of the Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard was where the match tilted irreversibly. Resuming at 361/3, Saurashtra lost Pujara early to Parag’s spin (bowled for 48), but Dharmendrasinh Jadeja’s counter-attacking 60* (75 balls, 9 fours) injected momentum. Ravindra Jadeja’s brief 8-ball cameo (2 fours) added flair before he fell to Rahul Singh. The innings wrapped at 474, extras a miserly 2.
Assam’s reply was a debacle. Ravindra Jadeja, donning the all-rounder’s hat, ripped through with 4/61. Openers Saikia (2) and Roy (27) fell cheaply, and even Parag’s gritty 51 couldn’t stem the tide. Mukhtar’s unbeaten 46 offered resistance, but at 164 all out in 41 overs, they were staring down the barrel. Saurashtra’s part-timers like Vasavada (2/44) and Dodiya (2/29) chipped in, enforcing the follow-on. Stumps saw Assam at 67/1 in their second innings—trailing by 243. The Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard now screamed dominance.
Day 3 Climax: Jadeja’s Jolt Seals the Deal
If Days 1 and 2 built the case, Day 3 closed the verdict in the Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard. Assam’s second innings started promisingly: Saikia (37) and Das (24) added 56 before Chirag Gajjar struck. But enter Ravindra Jadeja again—his 5/50 dismantled the middle order. Parag’s golden duck (bowled by Unadkat) was a shocker, and despite Amlanjyoti Das’s 40 and Mukhtar’s explosive 30 (24 balls, 5 fours, 1 six), collapses ensued.
Dharmendrasinh Jadeja’s bowling heroics (5/50 in the second, complementing his 4/61 in the first) earned him Player of the Match honors, though the scorecard extraction highlights Ravindra’s exploits prominently. Dodiya’s 2/32 wrapped it up at 166, all out in 36.4 overs. Extras ballooned to 18, underscoring Assam’s frayed nerves. Saurashtra’s fielding—sharp catches by Jackson and Mankad—sealed an innings victory. The final margin: 144 runs. Pure poetry for the hosts.
Full Scorecard Breakdown: The Numbers That Tell the Tale
No analysis of the Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard is complete without a granular breakdown. Below, I’ve tabulated the key sections—batting and bowling for each innings. For balance, I’ve structured the tables with equal dimensions: 11 rows for batsmen (including extras and total) and 6-7 columns, mirrored for bowlers (wickets, runs, overs, etc.). This “equal size” format ensures symmetry, making it easy to compare phases.
Saurashtra 1st Innings Batting Scorecard
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chirag Jani | c Rahul Singh b Mukhtar | 130 | 181 | 17 | 1 | 71.82 |
| Harvik Desai (wk) | lbw b Rahul Singh | 80 | 78 | 14 | 0 | 102.56 |
| Sheldon Jackson | c †Ghadigaonkar b Mukhtar | 99 | 167 | 10 | 0 | 59.28 |
| Cheteshwar Pujara | b Parag | 48 | 86 | 5 | 1 | 55.81 |
| Arpit Vasavada | b Mukhtar | 12 | 47 | 1 | 0 | 25.53 |
| Prerak Mankad | c Parag b Rahul Singh | 10 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 55.55 |
| Dharmendrasinh Jadeja | not out | 60 | 75 | 9 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | c Dutta b Rahul Singh | 8 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Jaydev Unadkat (c) | b AP Das | 19 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 67.85 |
| Kunjal Nagwaswala | b Parag | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20.00 |
| Yuvrajsinh Dodiya | c DP Das b AP Das | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Extras | (b1, nb1) | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | (117 ov, 10 wkts) | 474 | – | – | – | RR: 4.05 |
Saurashtra 1st Innings Bowling Scorecard
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wkts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mukhtar Hussain | 30 | 1 | 125 | 3 | 4.16 |
| Rahul Singh | 18 | 4 | 50 | 3 | 2.77 |
| Riyan Parag | 20 | 3 | 84 | 2 | 4.20 |
| AP Das | 16 | 1 | 62 | 2 | 3.87 |
| Sumit Ghadigaonkar | 6 | 1 | 34 | 0 | 5.66 |
| DP Das | 26 | 1 | 117 | 2 | 4.50 |
| Avinov Choudhury | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.00 |
| Total | 117 | – | 473 | 12 | – |
Assam 1st Innings Batting Scorecard
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pradyun Saikia | c †Desai b Unadkat | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 |
| Sibsankar Roy | b DA Jadeja | 27 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 90.00 |
| Denish Das | lbw b DA Jadeja | 7 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 70.00 |
| Riyan Parag (c) | lbw b DA Jadeja | 51 | 67 | 7 | 2 | 76.11 |
| Sumit Ghadigaonkar (wk) | lbw b Gajjar | 10 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 43.47 |
| Amlanjyoti Das | c Mankad b Gajjar | 4 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 15.38 |
| Avinov Choudhury | c Jackson b Dodiya | 11 | 26 | 2 | 0 | 42.30 |
| Mukhtar Hussain | not out | 46 | 47 | 6 | 1 | 97.87 |
| Mrinmoy Dutta | c Mankad b Dodiya | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 44.44 |
| Rahul Singh | c Vasavada b DA Jadeja | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| (10th player) | absent hurt | 0 | – | – | – | – |
| Extras | (nb1, w1) | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | (41 ov, 9 wkts dec) | 164 | – | – | – | RR: 4.00 |
Assam 1st Innings Bowling Scorecard (Saurashtra’s Attack)
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wkts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaydev Unadkat | 5 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 4.80 |
| Ravindra Jadeja (DA) | 19 | 3 | 61 | 4 | 3.21 |
| Kunjal Nagwaswala | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6.00 |
| Arpit Vasavada | 7 | 0 | 44 | 2 | 6.28 |
| Yuvrajsinh Dodiya | 9 | 3 | 29 | 2 | 3.22 |
| Total | 41 | – | 164 | 9 | – |
Assam 2nd Innings (Follow-On) Batting Scorecard
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pradyun Saikia | c sub b DA Jadeja | 37 | 78 | 4 | 1 | 47.43 |
| Denish Das | b Gajjar | 24 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 61.53 |
| Sibsankar Roy | c Jackson b DA Jadeja | 5 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 26.31 |
| Riyan Parag (c) | b Unadkat | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Amlanjyoti Das | c Jani b DA Jadeja | 40 | 43 | 5 | 1 | 93.02 |
| Mukhtar Hussain | st †Desai b DA Jadeja | 30 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 125.00 |
| Sumit Ghadigaonkar (wk) | c †Desai b Dodiya | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Avinov Choudhury | c †Desai b Dodiya | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 125.00 |
| Mrinmoy Dutta | c sub b DA Jadeja | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Rahul Singh | not out | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| (10th player) | absent hurt | 0 | – | – | – | – |
| Extras | (b9, lb7, nb1, w1) | 18 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | (36.4 ov, 9 wkts) | 166 | – | – | – | RR: 4.52 |
Assam 2nd Innings Bowling Scorecard (Saurashtra’s Attack)
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wkts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaydev Unadkat | 11 | 1 | 57 | 1 | 5.18 |
| Ravindra Jadeja (DA) | 15 | 4 | 50 | 5 | 3.33 |
| Yuvrajsinh Dodiya | 7.4 | 2 | 32 | 2 | 4.17 |
| Arpit Vasavada | 3 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 3.66 |
| Total | 36.4 | – | 150 | 9 | – |
These tables from the Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard highlight Saurashtra’s batting depth (five half-centurions) against Assam’s bowling leaks, and their spin stranglehold (9 of 14 wickets by spinners).
Key Performers: Stars Who Shone Brightest
In the Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard, individuals turned the tide. Chirag Jani’s 130 was an opener’s dream—aggressive yet anchored—earning him Man of the Match whispers, but Dharmendrasinh Jadeja stole it with bat (60*) and ball (9/111 aggregate). Ravindra Jadeja’s 9/111 (4/61 & 5/50) was vintage: flight, turn, and guile dismantling Assam twice.
For Assam, Parag’s 51 in the first was lone warrior stuff, but his second-innings duck epitomized their fragility. Mukhtar Hussain’s 46* and 30 showed fight, yet it wasn’t enough. Unadkat’s captaincy—tactical fields, enforcing follow-on—deserves plaudits.
Tactical Insights: What the Scorecard Reveals
Peering deeper into the Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard, Saurashtra’s strategy shone: bat big first (474 > average Rajkot first-innings 350), then spin trap. Assam’s pace reliance (Mukhtar’s 3/125) faltered on a turning track; their spinners leaked 134 runs for 5 wickets. Fall of wickets tells tales—Assam’s top-order collapses (75/3 in second) vs Saurashtra’s middle-order resilience (240/2).
Stats geeks note: Saurashtra’s economy (3.21 by Jadeja) vs Assam’s (4.16 by Mukhtar). Partnerships? Jani-Desai’s 146 set it; Assam’s best was 51-run Parag-Ghadigaonkar stand. This mismatch underscores Saurashtra’s home mastery—Rajkot’s last 5 Ranji games: 4 wins.
Implications for Ranji Trophy Campaigns
The Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard ripples beyond Rajkot. For Saurashtra (now 20 points from 4 games), it’s quarterfinal fuel; Unadkat eyes another title. Assam (8 points), however, face relegation shadows—Parag’s leadership tested.
Broader lens: Ranji’s spin renaissance (18 spin wickets here) vs white-ball trends. Youngsters like Dodiya (4/61) emerge, while veterans like Pujara (48) mentor.
Fan Reactions and Social Media Storm
Post-match, X (formerly Twitter) exploded over the Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard. SaurashtraWins trended, with fans lauding “Jadeja Jugalbandi.” Assam supporters rued “Parag’s bad day,” but praised Mukhtar. Memes of the follow-on flew, blending humor with heartbreak.
Conclusion: A Scorecard for the Ages
The Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard is more than a victory ledger—it’s a testament to domestic cricket’s depth. Saurashtra’s 474/10 vs 164 & 166 blueprint for success: Saurashtra cricket team vs Assam cricket team match scorecard build innings, unleash spinners, stay composed. As Ranji heats up, this match reminds us why we love the format—unpredictable, unfiltered, unending drama.
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