Ranji Trophy opener sees Smaran, Shami shine; Jadeja, Rinku, Mohan hit tons

Bengaluru, Oct 11 (UNI) Ravichandran Smaran and Mohammed Shami emerged as two of the standout performers on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy on Sunday, producing performances that underlined the enduring value of character and experience in India's premier domestic red-ball competition. Smaran's 126 off 131 balls for Karnataka against Andhra was arguably the day's outstanding batting effort, while Shami's four for 30 for Bengal against Delhi stood out among the bowling performances. For Smaran, the century was more than a personal milestone. It was an exercise in damage control under pressure. Karnataka, beginning their campaign with considerable expectations,…