There seems to be consensus among a wide section of batters that the switch from the white-ball formats to the classical version is harder to make. For Tamil Nadu’s G. Ajitesh, then, the challenge to curb his attacking instincts and show that he belongs on his Ranji Trophy debut against Uttar Pradesh at the Sri Ramakrishna College ground wouldn’t have been straightforward. His intrinsically flamboyant style, apparent in his four seasons of playing the TNPL, had already earned him 11 T20 appearances for the State.
But the 23-year-old equipped himself well to the task at hand on Monday, scoring 86 in his maiden First-Class innings to steer the hosts to 455. He chewed up 153 deliveries, and showed that he can operate at different gears. Besides nine fours and a maximum that sailed over deep square leg, there were 38 singles and three twos in his knock.
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“The attacking game is natural. But this is something I have worked on… to improve my red-ball game,” Ajitesh told reporters after the day’s play. “It is not as easy to get runs in red-ball cricket as it is in white-ball cricket. That change was required, and I have been working on it for a very long time.”
The wait to exhibit his wares in whites has come in a tough season for the side, and three years after his T20 debut.
“Good things come to people who wait. It is a very special moment for me to debut for Tamil Nadu and play my first First Class game. I will cherish it forever,” he said.
Published on Nov 17, 2025