Five major upsets in Ranji Trophy since 2012-13
If the format of India’s premier domestic competition, Ranji Trophy, was constantly tinkered with to make it more fan-viable and giving every team an equal opportunity, the changes in 2012-13 season were the ones which made the greatest impact. Till 2011-12 season, the format was divided into Elite and Plate group which used to segregate teams on the basis of their performances, which meant poor teams played with the poor ones and good teams clashed with good ones.The only good thing in that format was that it allowed few teams from Plate group to be elevated into Elite Group and play matches with better teams. The changes in 2012-13 season opened up new avenues for all the state teams as they were divided into three groups and the format made simpler and comprehensive.This new format has resulted in few major upsets in last three seasons too and here, the author has compiled a list of upsets in Ranji Trophy beginning from 2012-13 till the ongoing season:
#5 Services beating Uttar Pradesh (2012-13)
It was the fourth Quarter-final of the season where Services and Uttar Pradesh were locking horns against each other at Holkar Stadium, Indore. If Services had reached the last eight with the help of collective team efforts, this match displayed the resolve and toughness of an army men in them. The match had no crowds in the stands though UP consisted of players’ like Chawla and Kaif, and they looked stronger on paper.
After being asked to bat, UP batsmen gave away their wickets’ in quick succession as Shadab Nazar of Services stitched a five-wicket haul to restrict UP to a paltry sum of 134 runs. Rajat Paliwal’s century and tiny contributions from the batsmen helped Services posting a total of 263 runs, hence, leading UP by 129 runs. Ankit Rajpoot took five wickets in the first innings.
In UP’s second innings, their experienced batsmen again failed to take the advantage of good batting conditions as they were rattled by a seven-wicket haul from fast bowler Suraj Yadav. Uttar Pradesh were bowled out for 241 runs as Tanmay Shrivastava and Arish Alam scored half-centuries. Chasing a target of 113 runs, dark clouds hovered over Services’ prospects when they were left wandering at 54 for 5 by Ankit Rajpoot who claimed all five wickets. But it was Soumik Chatterjee who batted despite his injured leg to carve a crucial sixth-wicket partnership with Paliwal to advance to the semi-finals.