Priyansh Arya came agonisingly close to scoring a double century in the Ranji Trophy 2026, but his impressive innings ended at 199 on the opening day of Delhi’s match against Gujarat on Sunday. Captain Ayush Badoni also scored a century as Delhi finished Day 1 at 381 for four at the Palam B Ground.
Delhi won the toss and chose to bat first in their second-round fixture. Arya and Badoni then put together a crucial partnership that helped the team establish control after losing wickets earlier in the innings.
Priyansh Arya Shines With 199 Runs
Arya played an attacking innings, scoring 199 runs with the help of 24 fours and six sixes. The dismissal came late in the day when Gujarat’s Manan Hingrajia bowled him, leaving the Delhi batter just one run short of a double century.
The innings was particularly impressive because Arya was playing only his third first-class match. Before this game, he had scored 131 runs in three innings, with a highest score of 82.
Arya is better known for his performances in the shorter formats, including an IPL century for Punjab Kings. His knock against Gujarat demonstrated his ability to make a significant contribution in red-ball cricket as well.
Ayush Badoni Completes His Fifth First-Class Century
Delhi captain Ayush Badoni continued the team’s strong performance with an unbeaten 115 from 149 deliveries. His innings included 11 fours and two sixes, helping Delhi maintain their scoring momentum.
Arya and Badoni added 234 runs for the fourth wicket, putting Gujarat’s bowling attack under considerable pressure. Badoni’s century was his fifth in first-class cricket.
For Gujarat, Harshal Patel was the most successful bowler, finishing with figures of two wickets for 66 runs. The visitors took four wickets during the day, including one through a run-out.
Delhi Look to Bounce Back After Losing Their Opener
Delhi entered the match after suffering a defeat against Bengal in their opening fixture in Kalyani, where they were bowled out for 240 on the first day.
Their performance against Gujarat has given them an opportunity to get their campaign back on track. With 381 runs on the board and six wickets remaining, Delhi will aim to extend their total when play resumes.
Gujarat, on the other hand, will need to take early wickets to prevent Delhi from building an even bigger first-innings lead.
Rinku Singh and Shubman Gill Feature in Other Ranji Trophy Matches
Elsewhere, Shubman Gill had a short outing for Punjab against Chhattisgarh in New Chandigarh. Playing his first Ranji Trophy match of the season, Gill was dismissed for one run from five deliveries by Ajay Mandal.
Punjab recovered through Uday Saharan, who remained unbeaten on 106, and Prabhsimran Singh, who scored 62. Punjab closed the day at 269 for four.
Meanwhile, Rinku Singh continued his strong form for Uttar Pradesh, scoring an unbeaten 118 against Goa. After making 112 against Bihar in the previous round, Rinku once again provided resistance as Uttar Pradesh were bowled out for 202.
He shared a 65-run partnership for the final wicket with Vansh Chaudhary, who contributed four runs. Goa’s Yash Kasvankar claimed five wickets for 86 runs, and Goa reached 43 without loss at stumps.
Delhi in a Strong Position After Day 1
Arya’s near-double century and Badoni’s unbeaten hundred have given Delhi a solid foundation against Gujarat. Although Arya missed a major milestone by a single run, his innings could prove crucial as Delhi look to register their first victory of the season.
The focus will now be on Badoni and the remaining Delhi batters to see how far they can extend the first-innings total on the second day.
