Ranji Trophy Day 2: Sanvir, Urvil and Pradosh's batting changes the complexion of the matches

When 20 wickets fell on Monday at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, the pitch was being called a 'demon'. But as soon as Rohan Rajbhar faced the first ball on Tuesday morning, the entire character of the ground had changed. This pitch had suddenly become the batters' best friend. Having watched domestic cricket closely over the past few years, I have learned that in the Ranji Trophy, the scoreboard is never the complete story. Rajbhar's century (140) and Mahipal Lomror's brilliant 97 prove how Rajasthan changed their strategy after their first-innings score of 78. On the other hand, in Punjab, Sanvir Singh's 205 helped the hosts declare at a massive 592/9. Tuesday belonged entirely to the batters, but the strategy and understanding of the pitch behind it cannot be ignored. Ranji Trophy group stage has its own arithmetic—first-innings lead (3 points) and outright win (6 points). Punjab, at home against Andhra, declared at 592 on Day 2, sending a clear message: they are playing for the six points. The captain declared shortly after passing 590 to give his bowlers enough time to bowl Andhra out twice. Centuries from Sanvir Singh (205), Salil Arora (144), and Emanjot Singh Chahal (122) proved that Punjab's batting has depth and does not rely on one individual. Salil Arora has been in consistent form, while Chahal cashed in on the opportunity. Punjab's platform was actually built by the overnight centurions on Day 1, and the later batters built on that strong foundation. But the real drama unfolded in Dharamsala, where the match between Himachal and Rajasthan turned completely on its head. On Monday, Rajasthan were bowled out for just 78 in their first innings, and Himachal made 153. On Tuesday, the same Rajasthan team reached 297/4, powered by a superb 140 from Rohan Rajbhar and 97 from Mahipal Lomror. Rajasthan now lead by 222 with six wickets in hand. I learned early in my career how pitch behaviour can change the course of a match. At Dharamsala, the fast bowlers had help on Day 1, but the pitch dried out and batting became easier on Day 2. This change also exposes the limitations of Himachal's bowling attack. When the pitch offers no help, their bowlers struggle to maintain rhythm. Rajbhar and Lomror's partnership proved that technically strong batters can adapt to any conditions. The biggest lesson from Day 2 for me is how we assess a batter's ability solely from the scoreboard. Sanvir Singh's 205 is undoubtedly brilliant, but I want to know whether this innings is a product of a home pitch or proof of his technical maturity. In 2026, I prepared a dataset of 4,180 deliveries during the Ranji knockouts, tracking each bowler's release point and seam angle. That data taught me that batting numbers are incomplete until you know how the pitch was behaving. Scoring 592 on a Punjab pitch may be easy, but can Sanvir or Salil replicate that performance on away pitches? Chahal's 122 should be seen as 'cashing in on the platform,' not as proof of his full potential. This is a golden opportunity for Rajasthan to win this match. A 222-run lead with six wickets in hand means they can keep Himachal under pressure. If Rajasthan bat past 400 on Day 3, defending will become difficult for Himachal. But I have one concern—Himachal's bowling attack. If they do not get help from the pitch on Day 3, stopping Rajasthan could be difficult. I also want to know if the captain has a plan to break the pitch, or if they are just waiting for the batters to score. The pitch in Dharamsala now favours the batters, and if it stays that way, Rajasthan could win this match. For Punjab, their bowlers now need to take 20 wickets in two days against Andhra to prove that their 592 was not just a show. In the coming days, we need to see whether the Dharamsala pitch continues to help the batters on Day 3 or whether Himachal's bowlers can make a comeback.