Ranji Trophy: Ayush Doseja, Sumit Mathur to the rescue as Delhi take lead

NEW DELHI: Ayush Doseja was getting a bit anxious after a string of low scores in the first three matches of the Ranji Trophy season. After a stellar debut season of 949 runs last year, his meagre returns this season could have pushed him back in the pecking order of India’s targeted players. On Tuesday, he maintained his composure to bail Delhi out of a tricky situation on the second day of their Ranji Trophy match against Services at the Air Force Ground in Palam.Delhi were delicately placed at 135/5 in reply to Services’ first-innings score of 266 when Doseja was joined by Delhi’s new crisis man, Sumit Mathur. The two southpaws stitched together a partnership of 144 runs before Doseja fell, caught down the leg side, for a patient 78. Delhi went to stumps at 299/6, with Mathur batting on 80 and Dev Lakra at the other end.The pitch here at Palam offered slow turn. Scoring freely was difficult, but Doseja found the right tempo. He said he had to cut out the extravagant shots to ensure he batted long. “I needed to ensure I didn’t play any rash shot. We had to secure the first-innings lead. There were murmurs around me about my form but I tried to cut them out,” said Doseja, who was put on the BCCI’s list of targeted players. “The time spent with Wasim Jaffer and Hrishikesh Kanitkar at the CoE has helped me understand my game better. There are 92 pitches at the CoE, which prepares us to play on any surface,” he added. 135526940