Ravichandran Smaran’s unbeaten 126 rescued Rest of India from a precarious 197/8 as the visitors recovered to 306/8 in 94 overs, stretching their overall lead over Jammu and Kashmir to 265 runs at the close of Day 3 of the Irani Cup at Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium here today.
Smaran, who hit 15 fours and five sixes in his 131-ball knock, shared an unbeaten 109-run ninth-wicket partnership with Mukesh Choudhary (9) to frustrate J&K after the hosts had fought back strongly with the ball.
The Irani Cup match, scheduled from October 1 to 5, began with J&K winning the toss and electing to field.
Rest of India were dismissed for 237 in their first innings, while J&K made 278, giving the visitors a 41-run first-innings lead.
Resuming their second innings at 24/1, Rest of India initially struggled to build momentum.
Sanat Sangwan and Sudip Kumar Gharami added runs cautiously, with J&K keeping the scoring rate under control.
Gharami scored 33 off 58 balls, including four fours, before falling at 58/2.
Sangwan and Saransh Jain then steadied the innings, taking the visitors to 120/2 at lunch.
Sangwan completed his half-century off 141 balls, with three fours and a six, but Umar Nazir Mir finally provided J&K with the breakthrough when Sangwan edged a delivery behind to the wicketkeeper for 55 off 160 balls, leaving Rest of India at 128/3.
Nazir then struck twice in quick succession.
He bowled Saransh Jain for 25 before dismissing Sarfaraz Khan for a duck two balls later, reducing Rest of India to 131/5.
Smaran began the recovery with Manav Suthar, but J&K continued to chip away.
Suthar made 16 off 48 balls before Sahil Lotra trapped him leg before wicket at 183/6.
Suthar reviewed the decision, but the on-field call was upheld.
Lotra then removed Rest of India captain Rishabh Pant for eight, trapping him leg before wicket, before dismissing Akash Deep for one, caught at short mid-wicket.
Rest of India were consequently reduced to 197/8.
Smaran, however, kept the innings together and reached his half-century off 67 balls, including five fours and two sixes, before accelerating with the lower order.
The ninth-wicket partnership with Mukesh Choudhary crossed 50 runs off 64 balls and eventually reached 100 runs off 120 balls.
Smaran completed his century off 113 balls, with Rest of India crossing the 300-run mark in the 93rd over.
The visitors’ total included 31 extras, comprising 21 no-balls, three wides, two byes and five leg-byes.
At the close, Smaran was unbeaten on 126, while Choudhary was not out on 9.
For J&K, Umar Nazir Mir and Sahil Lotra claimed three wickets apiece.
Nazir finished with 3/87 from 22 overs, while Lotra returned 3/71 from 26 overs. Sunil Kumar took 1/48 from 26 overs, while Lone Nasir also claimed one wicket.
Rest of India now lead by 265 runs with two wickets in hand, with Smaran unbeaten on 126 and Mukesh Choudhary on nine when play resumes on Day 4.