Ranji Trophy 2017/18: Top 5 performers from Quarter-finals

The Ranji Trophy 2017/18 Quarter-finals are done and dusted. We now know who will face off in the semi-finals of the competition. Bengal qualified courtesy of their first innings lead over the defending champions Gujarat while the other 3 games resulted in an outright win for Delhi, Vidarbha, and Karnataka.

Results:

Quarter-final 1: Bengal 354 & 695/6; Gujarat 224

Quarter-final 2: MP 338 & 283; Delhi 405 & 217/3

Quarter-final 3: Vidarbha 246 & 507/9d; Kerala 176 & 165

Quarter-final 4: Mumbai 173 & 377; Karnataka 570

There were some exceptional individual performances over the last 5 days. On that note, let's see the top 5 performers of quarter-finals.

#5 Writtick Chatterjee (Bengal)

Playing only his sixth first-class game since his debut in 2013, Chatterjee struck a brilliant 216 to demoralize the Gujarat attack and guided Bengal to the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy 2017/18.

Chatterjee was not able to break into the Bengal team until recently, and grabbed his opportunity with back to back hundreds against Goa and Gujarat. He started his innings on day 3 and was dismissed on day 5, spending 536 minutes on the pitch.

Given the context of the game, his partnership with Abhimanyu Easwaran took the game away from the defending champions Gujarat. This is his highest score in any form of professional cricket. A brilliant knock from the 25-year-old to cement his place in the Bengal team.

#4 Vikas Mishra (Delhi)

Mishra was the star of the show for Delhi in the quarter-finals

In-form Delhi left-arm spinner Vikas Mishra bowled brilliantly in both innings to send Delhi into the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy. Having elected to field first, Mishra produced a brilliant spell to remove the top order of Madhya Pradesh on day 1.

It allowed Delhi to restrict MP to 338 on a good batting track, as Mishra finished with 3/58 in the first innings.

Chandela and Shorey ensured 67 runs first innings lead for Delhi as MP faced an uphill task to save the game. Mishra was in the thick of the action once again, as he continued from where he left off in the first innings.

The 24-year-old produced another brilliant spell of accurate left-arm spin to dismiss MP for 338, setting a target of 217 for an outright win. He took 4/59 in the second innings to finish the game with 7/117.

#3 Rajneesh Gurbani (Vidarbha)

Gurbani bowled Vidarbha to win in the quarter-finals

Opting to bat first, Vidarbha folded for a paltry 246 and was in danger of conceding a vital first innings lead. But Rajneesh Gurbani had other ideas. Having played only 7 first-class games before the quarterfinals, the right arm medium pacer from Nagpur was sensational on day 2.

He bowled brilliantly to dismiss Kerala for 176 to give Vidarbha a 70-run lead. He ran through the tail, as Kerala collapsed from 165 for 5 to all out for 176. He finished with 5/38 from 14 overs to turn the game completely.

Vidarbha then batted brilliantly in the second innings to set a target of 578 for Kerala. Sarwate destroyed Kerala in the second innings with a brilliant 6-for as Gurbani finished the game with a superb figure of 23-8-68-7. He claimed the Man of the Match award for his match-winning bowling.

#2 Vinay Kumar (Karnataka)

Mumbai had no answers for Vinay Kumar on day 1

Karnataka crushed 41-time champions Mumbai by an innings and 20 runs at Nagpur to book their place in the semi-finals. Mumbai was put into bat after Vinay Kumar won an all-important toss.

The 33-year-old veteran medium pacer was the destroyer-in-chief as he rattled Mumbai with an accurate spell of swing bowling to reduce them to 103/9 on day one. Kulkarni salvaged some pride for Mumbai as they folded for 173.

Vinay Kumar finished with a figure of 15-2-34-6. Mumbai never recovered as Karnataka batted them out of the game. Shreyas Gopal made a brilliant 150 as Karnataka finished their first innings with a score of 570.

Spinners did the job for Karnataka in the fourth innings as Vinay Kumar finished the match with an 8-wicket haul. He was adjudged Player of the Match for his match-winning spell on day one.

#1 Abhimanyu Easwaran (Bengal)

Scored hundred in each innings to sink Gujarat

After a subdued Ranji season, Easwaran sprung to life in the quarterfinals with hundreds in each innings against Gujarat in the quarter-finals. Put to bat, Bengal were reeling at 59 for 4 on day 1.

A stunning hundred from Easwaran saved the day for Bengal as they posted a respectable 354 runs in their first innings, which allowed them to take a first-innings lead of 139 runs.

It was all easy for Bengal in the second innings on a batting wicket. Easwaran scored his second hundred (114) of the game as Bengal finished day 5 with 695/6.

They qualified because of the first innings lead and knocked out defending champions Gujarat from the tournament. He was rightly declared the Man of the Match for his brilliant hundreds.