Vasavada scored a patient fifty but Saurashtra are still 96 runs behind with only a wicket in hand

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2023Saurabh Kumar’s all-round show, combined with Rest of India bowlers’ clinical performance put the team ahead against Saurashtra in the Irani Trophy. In reply to Rest of India’s 308, Saurashtra reached 212 for 9 at stumps. Vidwath Kaverappa and Saurabh picked up three wickets each to entertain thoughts of a first-innings lead.After Saurashtra bowled Rest of India out early in the morning, they were put on the back foot straight away with fast bowler Kaverappa knocking over Harvik Desai and Chiraj in his first two overs. A score of 1 for 1 became 77 for 5 with Saurabh snagging Sheldon Jackson and Samarth Vyas. Cheteshwar Pujara consumed 81 balls for 29 runs before he was dismissed by right-arm offspinner Pulkit Narang. Kaverappa picked up one more wicket in the final session to return figures of 3 for 28 in his nine overs.With Saurashtra in need of repairs, Arpit Vasavada produced a patient half-century. He first shared a 47-run partnership with Prerak Mankad for the sixth wicket and then put on 54 runs for the seventh wicket with Parth Bhut, who had completed a five-wicket haul in the morning. Vasavada hit just two boundaries in his 127-ball knock and scored 54 runs before falling to Saurabh, ten minutes before the close of the play.Earlier, Saurabh, at No. 8, managed to push his score up to 39, including five fours, before he eventually became Bhut’s fifth victim as Rest of India folded soon after crossing the 300-mark.