When Railways-Delhi played a star-studded cracker two decades ago on a turner

Even as all eyes were drilled on Virat Kohli, one of the most successful batsmen in cricket history, who is set to return to Ranji Trophy after a gap of 12 years for Delhi cricket team against Railways, a former first-class cricketer stood quietly at the platform of the Willingdon Pavilion of the Arun Jaitley Stadium watching the proceedings.

Memories from two decades ago may well have come flooding back, for it was in the high-profile Delhi-Railways Ranji Trophy match that former leg-spinner Abhishek Sharma, now a junior selector, had made a mark.

He and off-spinner Yogesh Sachdeva, who made his Ranji Trophy debut in that game, took five-wicket hauls in the two innings (Sachdeva in first and Sharma in second) at the Karnail Singh Stadium on a pitch that was tailor-made for Murali Kartik as Railways sought to avoid relegation. Their efforts resulted in Delhi's seven-wicket win. 

“It was a do-or-die match for them, so they prepared a turner. But they fell into their trap. The pitch was damp in the start, and we won the toss and elected to bowl,” recalls Sharma.

Abhishek Sharma is now a junior selector

“It was damp, so it supported turn and grip. Once it became drier, it developed cracks. It was not easy to bat. It was tough for batsmen to stay at the crease and bat,” says the 39-year-old who was part of the Under-19 World Cup in 2002 and 2004 and was India’s highest wicket-taker in both the editions.

The match was high-profile. The Delhi team comprised four India internationals – Virender Sehwag, the captain, Gautam Gambhir, Aakash Chopra and Amit Bhandari. Shikhar Dhawan, who had returned from 2004 under-19 World Cup as the top run-getter, and later play for India was also part of the team. The Railways team comprised three India internationals in Murali Kartik, JP Yadav and Sanjay Bangar besides an important India A player, off-spinner Kulamani Parida. They were also the defending Ranji Trophy champions.

Yogesh Sachdeva is now with FCI

Railways were bowled out for 77 in the first innings with Sachdeva picking 5/20 and leg-spinner Chetnya Nanda taking 3/19.

“We just wanted to bowl them out as early as possible. Viru bhai gave me the new ball. They wanted to win and thought they had better spinners but fell into their own trap,” says Sachdeva, Head Cricket Coach with Food Corporation of India (FCI).

“That was my debut and I got a wicket off the first ball of my career (dismissing Vineet Saxena),” recalls Sachdeva, 42.   

Delhi made 131, Shikhar Dhawan top-scoring with 38. None of the others could cross 20. Murali Kartik returned with figures of 8/40 while off-spinner Kulamani Parida took 2/40.

Now it was the turn of Abhishek Sharma to roll his leg-spin and he scalped 5/39 as Railways were dismissed for 180. JP Yadav played one of the best knocks on a spin-friendly surface in Ranji Trophy this century, scoring 90 brilliant runs. It was Sharma who removed him, caught at mid-off by Gambhir.

Yadav was the ninth man dismissed.

Delhi were tasked with chasing 127 runs. They lost skipper Sehwag early, caught at short mid-wicket, but then Gambhir and Dhawan effected a 76-run partnership. When Dhawan fell with the score on 85, Abhishek Sharma was sent up to play some shots.

“I was told to hit out. Fortunately, a couple of shots got connected so the pressure released.”

(For readers’ information, this author had covered the above-described match for Hindustan Times in December, 2005)

Tags : Virat Kohli, Railways, Delhi cricket team, Ranji Trophy Arun Jaitley Stadium, Virender Sehwag