Gujarat — Odisha: 486:485, Ranji Trophy

Gujarat beat Odisha 486 to 485 in the opening round of the Ranji Trophy on Sunday. The hosts held on for one run at the death, closing out a match that went down to the final over. By then, the result already felt like it would matter more for pride than position.

Recent form had suggested a different story. Gujarat had beaten Odisha 333 to 100 back in January, a result that left the visitors searching for answers. This time they fought for every ball, though the margin tells a simpler tale.

Both sides arrive at the season with clean sheets — zero points, zero games played before this fixture. The table will look the same after today except for the one team that won. That is how these things start.

Gujarat's recent run included five matches without a heavy defeat, though they lost three and drew two. Odisha's last five showed more inconsistency: two wins, three losses, including that January drubbing by the same opponent.

Four hundred and eighty-five for the chase was never going to be straightforward. Gujarat bowled sensibly, kept the pressure on, and let the visitors know the target was not a gift. One run short is a cruel way to finish a fight.