In a dominant display at Kalyani, Bengal opener Sudeep Chatterjee etched his name in the record books by smashing his first-ever first-class double century. Playing against Services in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Elite Group-C encounter, Chatterjee’s masterful 209-run knock propelled Bengal to a massive 519 in their first innings on Friday.
Bengal, inserted to bat after losing the toss at Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, got off to a solid start thanks to the opening stand of 151 between Chatterjee and skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran. Easwaran departed after a fluent 81, laced with 10 boundaries, setting the tone for Bengal’s innings.
Chatterjee then anchored the innings with crucial partnerships. He added 73 runs for the third wicket with Shahbaz Ahmed (38) and 62 for the fifth with Sumanto Gupta (36). The highlight was his 147-run stand for the sixth wicket with Shakir Gandhi, who remained unbeaten on 91 off 151 balls, featuring 10 fours.
Facing 327 deliveries, Chatterjee’s innings included 18 fours and a six, showcasing impeccable timing and patience. Services bowlers struggled, with Vineet Dhanakad claiming 3 wickets, Arjun Sharma 2, and others one each.
In reply, Services stuttered to 74 for 6 in 23 overs. Openers Gaurav Kochhar (9) and Shubham Rohilla (30 off 52 balls) put on 41, but Bengal’s Suraj Jaiswal (3/??), Mohammed Shami (2/??), and Akash Deep (1/??) dismantled the top order. Bengal hold a commanding position as the match progresses into the weekend.