Form and rhythm were certainly on Sudip Gharami’s side, but he also had to deal with a higher level of expectations following his 299 in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final clash versus Andhra. “Of course, we would have been in a better position if we hadn’t lost the wicket of Shahbaz,” agreed Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla. However, Gharami once again showed his mental resolve and, at the same time, showed intent to not lose out on scoring opportunities. His partnership with Anustup Majumdar for the fourth wicket, which earned Bengal 66, did calm the nerves in the camp. Brief scores: Bengal 249/5 (Sudip Gharami 136 batting, Shahbaz Ahmed 42; Auqib Nabi 2/48) vs J&K.

Source: The Telegraph February 16, 2026 03:15 UTC