Tamil Nadu, Gujarat qualify for Ranji Trophy quarterfinals

Both Tamil Nadu and Gujarat qualified for the quarterfinals today after gaining three and one point respectively from their drawn Group A match at the Ranji Trophy here.
Kaushik Gandhi's double ton and Vijay Shankar's century helped Tamil Nadu garner three points, owing to their first innings lead, and grab the third position in the points-table of Group A.
Tamil Nadu and Gujarat now are tied at 26 points, four points behind table-topper Mumbai after eight matches. Gujarat are placed second after winning two and drawing five out of the eight matches. Their game against Bengal was abandoned due to smog in Delhi.

In reply to Gujarat's first innings score of 307, Tamil Nadu scored 580 for six declared, with Gandhi and Shankar hogging the limelight by scoring 202 and 102, respectively.
The foundation, earlier, was laid by opener Abhinav Mukund who missed his century by one run after he was dismissed by R B Kalaria on second day of the match. For Gujarat, opener Priyank Panchal was the top-scorer with 113 runs off 180 balls which was laced with 15 hits to the fence.
Gandhi's dogged innings was studded with 25 boundaries which he bludgeoned in his 538-ball knock. Shankar's 102 came off in 233 balls with 13 hits to the fence.

Even Baba Aparajith joined the bonhomie by scoring a resplendent 54 off 156 balls with three boundaries to his credit.

Soon after Tamil Nadu declared their innings, the umpires, after consulting with the captains, called off the match, which ended in a tame draw.
Earlier resuming at 397-4 on day four, Tamil Nadu crossed the 400-mark in the third over of the morning session. Soon after Shankar, who was batting at an overnight score of 35, raced to his half century off 131 balls.
Tamil Nadu piled up 450 runs in 177th over and posted 480 for four at lunch, but not before losing Shankar retired hurt.

In the post-lunch session, Gandhi, who was in supreme form, cracked his double ton of the match, which came off in 533 balls.
However, Gandhi could not stay longer as soon after his double ton, he lost his wicket when the score was 496 in the 195th over. The 26-year-old right-handed batsman was cleaned up by H P Patel.
Tamil Nadu breached the 500-run mark and soon after Aparajith, who had walked in place of a hurt Shankar, raced to his half century in 135 balls.
Tamil Nadu lost their sixth wicket at 522 runs, after Aswin Crist made eight runs, who was caught by substitute Karan Patel off H P Patel.

Shankar, who revisited the crease, completed his century in 226 balls, with R Aushil Srinivas remaining unbeaten on zero.
Brief Score:
Gujarat 1st innings: 307
Tamil Nadu 1st innings: 580/6d in 229 overs (KM Gandhi 202; RB Kalaria 2/47).