In a breathtaking display of cricketing brilliance on the 12th of January 2024, Aditya Sarvate emerged as the hero for Vidarbha, orchestrating a resounding triumph against Manipur in Ahmedabad. His stellar all-round performance not only propelled Vidarbha to a commanding win within a mere two days but also secured their enviable position at the summit of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group ‘A’ with a commendable 13 points from two impressive victories.
The anticipation was palpable before the Manipur encounter as Vidarbha skipper Akshay Wadkar had set the ambitious target of earning a bonus point. However, it was the vice-captain, Sarvate, who took center stage and went above and beyond, singlehandedly achieving the skipper’s lofty goal.
In the early hours of the match day, Sarvate’s batting prowess shone brightly, contributing a crucial 69 runs (82b; 8×4; 1×6) to extend Vidarbha’s lead to an imposing 155 runs. Later in the game, the left-arm spinner showcased his bowling mastery, clinching five wickets while conceding a mere 10 runs, earning him the well-deserved title of the Man of the Match.
As the second day unfolded with Vidarbha at 123 for 4, a precarious situation loomed when they found themselves at 144 for 6 within seven overs of the morning. Overnight batters Wadkar (12; 24b; 1×4) and Shubham Dubey (22; 67b; 2×4) fell victim to Manipur’s Bishworjit Konthoujam.
However, undeterred by the early setbacks, Sarvate, alongside the resilient tail-enders, orchestrated the resurrection of Vidarbha’s innings, eventually reaching a total of 230. His aggressive 82-ball knock, consisting of eight boundaries and a six, not only stretched Vidarbha’s lead but also proved to be the catalyst for Manipur’s eventual downfall.
Vidarbha strategically adopted an all-spin attack, with Sarvate and off-spinner Akshay Wakhare leading the bowling assault. Although Manipur managed to navigate the remaining overs of the first session without any casualties, the post-lunch session witnessed the onset of chaos.
In his fourth over, Sarvate dismissed opener Basir Rahman, initiating Manipur’s collapse. The sixth over saw him bowling Karnajit Yumnam, and with Nitesh Sedai’s run-out between the two wickets, Manipur plummeted to 21 for 3. Further contributions from Darshan Nalkande, Aditya Thakare, and Rajneesh Gurbani reduced Manipur to 39 for 5 by the 23rd over.
Returning to the attack after the 28th over, Sarvate displayed his bowling mastery, securing three more wickets in the next two overs, concluding with figures of 11-6-10-5. A run-out marked the end of Manipur’s innings, sealing Vidarbha’s victory by an innings and an emphatic 90 runs.
