Seasoned campaigner Cheteshwar Pujara's presence did not help Saurashtra as a gritty Tripura humbled the defending champions by 148 runs in their Group A match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Bengaluru on Monday.
Fifties by Bikram Kumar Das (59 off 76 balls), Sudip Chatterjee (61 off 93 balls) and Ganesh Satish (71 off 74 balls) fuelled Tripura to a challenging 258 for 8.
Veteran left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat led Saurashtra's bowling with a five-wicket haul (5 for 35).
In reply, Saurashtra could only muster 110 before getting bowled out in 31.4 overs as part-timer Joydeb Deb grabbed a fifer (5 for 15).
They were in early trouble at 13 for three after Harvik Desai, Sheldon Jackson and Chirag Jani went back in quick succession with pacer Mura Singh inflicting the blows.
Pujara (24) and Arpit Vasavada (16) tried to revive Saurashtra's innings with a 37-run stand for the fourth wicket. However, pacer Bikram Debnath trapped Pujara in front of the wicket to end the alliance and the hopes of Saurashtra to make a fist of the chase.
