Ranji Trophy: BCA president Rakesh Tiwari lauds Ayush Loharuka as his ton revives Bihar innings

Patna (Bihar), Jan 23 The Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) president Rakesh Tiwari on Thursday lauded the gutsy knock played by 21-year-old Ayush Loharuka, who slammed a century against Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match being played here. Loharuka scored 101, his maiden century in the First-Class season.

In the key clash between Bihar and Uttar Pradesh played here at the Moin-ul-Haq Stadium, the visitors won the toss and chose to bowl first. By the end of the first day's play, Bihar managed to score 248 runs in their first innings, while Uttar Pradesh, in reply, scored 4 runs without any loss in 1 over.

When Bihar was struggling at 35/3, Ayush Loharuka steadied the innings with a composed and determined knock. Coming in under pressure, the youngster scored 101 runs off 227 balls, hitting 13 boundaries and 1 six. His maiden First-Class century proved to be the backbone of Bihar's innings.

Praising the young batter’s brilliant innings, BCA president Rakesh Tiwari said, "Ayush Loharuka has shown immense maturity and determination today in difficult circumstances. His century against a Uttar Pradesh bowling lineup demonstrates his talent and potential. I'm looking forward to seeing how the game pans out in the next three days."

For Bihar, Loharuka scored 101 runs, Sarman Nogrodh contributed 44 runs, Sachin Kumar added 38 runs, and Nawaz remained unbeaten on 14 runs. Despite no other batsman reaching double digits, Bihar still managed to post a respectable total of 248 runs.

Loharuka is playing his maiden First-Class season in the Ranji Trophy and scored a fine century on his home ground, Moin-ul-Haq Stadium. Earlier this season, he had already scored two half-centuries, one against Madhya Pradesh and the other against Punjab, and on Thursday, he achieved his first century against Uttar Pradesh.

Source: IANS