In the 2024/25 Ranji Trophy season opener, Tamil Nadu secured a commanding win over Saurashtra at the SNR College Cricket Ground in Coimbatore, thanks to left-arm pacer Gurjapneet Singh. His remarkable six-wicket haul in the second innings (6 for 22) bundled out Saurashtra for just 94 runs, leading to a victory by an innings and 70 runs after enforcing the follow-on.
Among his standout performances was the prized wicket of veteran India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, whom he dismissed for a six-ball duck. Gurjapneet, who hails from Ambala and has a fast, quick-arm action similar to former India pacer Ashish Nehra, credited Indian cricket star Virat Kohli for his strategy to dismiss Pujara.
A Memorable Encounter with Virat Kohli
Gurjapneet first met Kohli just a month earlier during the Indian team’s preparatory camp at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, before India’s home Test series against Bangladesh. Serving as a net bowler in the camp, Gurjapneet managed to dismiss Kohli during a training session, an event that left a lasting impression on him.
Recalling the incident, Gurjapneet said, “After I bowled him, I looked at him and didn’t dare to look again. He was very angry, but I realized he was more frustrated with himself than anything else.” Despite the cold stare at first, Kohli later smiled after hitting a straight drive and shared some valuable advice with the young pacer.
Kohli’s Tactical Insight
Kohli told Gurjapneet that when there’s no movement on offer, it’s best to change the angle and bowl around the wicket. The slight variation in angle, even with minimal movement, could trouble most batsmen. This strategic advice stayed with Gurjapneet and proved pivotal during Tamil Nadu’s match against Saurashtra.
Dismissing Pujara: Putting Kohli’s Advice to Work
In Saurashtra’s second innings, Gurjapneet faced Pujara, a seasoned campaigner known for his solid defense. He began by testing Pujara with a series of bouncers and length deliveries, gradually working towards the plan Kohli had suggested. When the time was right, he angled the ball from around the wicket, which shaped away and caught Pujara off guard, resulting in an LBW dismissal.
Speaking about the dismissal, Gurjapneet noted, “When you’re up against a batsman of Pujara’s caliber, you need to be precise from the very first ball. The plan was to push him onto the backfoot and then attack with a delivery that would force him to defend awkwardly.”
Having gone wicketless in the first innings, Gurjapneet sought advice from Tamil Nadu bowling coach L Balaji, who encouraged him to stick to the plan and look for wickets aggressively. The pitch wasn’t offering much, but by adopting the tactic of bowling from around the stumps, Gurjapneet found success – similar to what Saurashtra captain Jaidev Unadkat had done earlier in the day.
In the end, Gurjapneet’s ability to learn from Kohli’s guidance and execute his plan to perfection helped Tamil Nadu start their Ranji Trophy campaign on a high note, while also claiming one of the most respected wickets in Indian cricket.
