Buchi Babu Trophy 2025: Ajitesh ton takes TNCA President’s XI past 500 against J&K on day 2

G. Ajitesh cracked his maiden tournament hundred (101, 162b, 14×4) as TNCA President’s XI piled on 503 for seven on day two of the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament semifinal versus Jammu & Kashmir at the CSK High Performance Centre on Monday.

Ajitesh added 89 runs for the fifth-wicket stand with Andre Siddarth (57, 211b, 7×4), and 88 for the sixth-wicket union with left-hander R.S. Ambrish (62 batting, 133b, 3×4, 2×6).

The toiling J&K bowling unit was hamstrung as left-arm spinner Vanshaj Sharma hurt his bowling shoulder on the field just before lunch, not to return to play for the rest of the day.

Ajitesh’s innings was remarkable for his strong backfoot play – ten of his fourteen fours came off the cut, late cut, and pull. He played the imperious aerial pull twice for a four each off left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq and off-spinner Kawalpreet Singh. He brought up his century with a backfoot cover drive for a four off Kawalpreet.

He also paddle-swept for a four to the fine leg boundary off Mushtaq, and swept a ball from outside the off-stump for a four behind square on the leg side off left-arm spinner Tazeem Tak.

While Siddarth lofted Vanshaj for a couple of fours down the ground, Ambrish tonked a couple of sixes off Mushtaq to long on.

Published on Sep 01, 2025