Jammu & Kashmir put Karnataka through the wringer again as it reached 527 for six at stumps on day two of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy final at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium here on Wednesday.

It wasn’t a display of unqualified control and superiority but more like how weaver ants are super-efficient in their team work.

There were half-centuries for skipper Paras Dogra (70, 166b, 8×4), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (70, 109b, 9×4) and Sahil Lotra (57 batting, 93b, 7×4) as J & K added 243 runs to its overnight total before a combination of bad light and a drizzle brought an end to the proceedings 40 minutes before scheduled close.

The morning began under partially cloudy skies and the previous night’s rain appeared to have rendered the outfield a tad sluggish. The Karnataka bowlers kept it tight, not allowing a boundary for nearly 40 minutes, as V. Vyshak bowled four straight maidens.

Though Abdul Samad pulled Vyshak for a four, it was far from pressure-releasing. Centurion Shubham Pundir (121, 247b, 12×4, 2×6) and Samad (61, 104b, 6×4, 1×6) fell in the span of six balls, with the former caught at square-leg off Vidyadhar Patil and the latter edging Prasidh Krishna behind.

Dogra, who had retired hurt on Tuesday, came in at 307 for four and the Karnataka pacers resumed their ploy of peppering him with bouncers. The close-in fielders joined in by being chirpy and even succeeded in provoking Dogra into head-butting substitute K.V. Aneesh — albeit, ever-so-slightly — at silly-point.

But the experienced man soon cleared the fog that had settled over his head and combined for 73 runs with Wadhawan to take J & K to 380 for four at lunch. Similar to the first day, Karnataka’s intensity dropped at an inopportune time, as Dogra and Wadhawan collected a series of fours through cover, backward-point and wide of the slip fielders.

However, Wadhawan fell trying one too many, as K.L. Rahul at slip latched on to a dab after a juggle. Dogra’s day, though, continued to be eventful when a bouncer from Vidyadhar ricocheted off his helmet, hit the stumps but couldn’t dislodge the bails.

Luck finally ran out when a defensive stroke to Shreyas Gopal ended with the cherry crashing into his stumps after bouncing off the ground.

Amidst this chaos, Lotra kept his head, reaching an unbeaten 57, his first half-century of the season. A few more runs on Thursday will leave Karnataka with a mountain to climb in a final where the first-innings lead is seemingly all important now.

The scores: Jammu & Kashmir — 1st innings: Qamran Iqbal c Rahul b Prasidh 6, Yawer Hassan c Rahul b Prasidh 88, Shubham Pundir c sub (Aneesh) b Vidyadhar 121, Paras Dogra b Shreyas 70, Abdul Samad c Kruthik b Prasidh 61, Kanhaiya Wadhawan c Rahul b Shikhar 70, Sahil Lotra (batting) 57, Abid Mushtaq (batting) 20; Extras (b-14, lb-16, w-4): 34; Total (for six wkts. in 156 overs): 527.

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-157, 3-303, 4-307, 5-417, 6-471.

Karnataka bowling: Vidyadhar 29-2-104-1, Vyshak 31-10-60-0, Prasidh 29-7-90-3, Shreyas 33-2-130-1, Shikhar 32-1-112-1, Karun 2-1-1-0.

Published – February 25, 2026 08:08 pm IST

Emanjot batted freely, using his feet well and collecting boundaries, on the opening day on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Tamil Nadu players in action during the net practice session ahead of the Ranji Trophy cricket match between Tamil Nadu and Baroda at Salem Cricket Foundation Ground in Tamil Nadu on January 28, 2026.
| Photo Credit: E. Lakshmi Narayanan

Sarfaraz Khan’s rediscovered run-scoring touch augurs well for Mumbai as it takes on Delhi in its last league match.
| Photo Credit: K.V.S. GIRI

Batter Shubman Gill of Punjab.
| Photo Credit: K. BHAGYA PRAKASH

Railways’ Upendra Yadav and Bhargav Merai have lived to fight another day.

As Monday’s final two sessions of a fourth-round Ranji Trophy contest wore on, it increasingly seemed like Bengal was going to bag all of the seven points on offer with a day to spare. The said duo, however, had other plans.

In the first session of the ongoing Elite Group C game at the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium, the home team added 91 to its overnight score, thanks to the same pair, who had managed to build a concrete perimeter around themselves while driving bowlers up the wall.

But an hour after lunch, pacer Mohammad Kaif managed to land the first punch and break Upendra’s woodwork.

Two more wickets fell in the next five deliveries. The first of those was that of Karn Sharma, whose round trip to the pitch and back was longer than his stay in the centre. The big fish Merai was snared next with Rahul Prasad have him edge to the glovesman.

A last-gasp resistance from the tailenders didn’t last long as Bengal happily triggered the follow-on clause.

Zubair’s pair

Zubair A. Khan didn’t bother the scorers in this essay as well. Pratham Singh and Vivek Singh tried stitching a partnership together, but Kaif tore a hole in the very fabric of their fragile alliance.

With Sumit Mohanta pouching a screamer at mid-on to remove Mohammad Saif, Merai was back fighting a losing battle under the hot Surat sun. Merely 26 overs of play had elapsed since his dismissal in the previous innings. However, it was Vivek who blinked first as Anustup Majumdar took a sharp catch in the slip.

Shahbaz Ahmed stuck to a tight channel to account for Suraj Ahuja. The wicket meant Merai had a familiar face for company again with Railways trailing by 162 runs ahead of the final day’s play.

The scores:

Bengal — 1st innings: 474.

Railways — 1st innings: Zubair A. Khan c Gharami b Jaiswal 0, Vivek Singh b Jaiswal 4, Pratham Singh c Shakir b Jaiswal 11, Mohammad Saif lbw b Jaiswal 0, Bhargav Merai c Shakir b Rahul 91, Suraj Ahuja lbw Shahbaz 19, Upendra Yadav b Kaif 70, Karn Sharma c Shakir b Kaif 0, Akash Pandey c Purohit b Rahul 1, Adarsh Singh b Bhati 13, Kunal Yadav (not out) 3; Extras (w-2, b-4, lb-4): 10; Total (in 86.3 overs): 222.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-7, 3-11, 4-16, 5-55, 6-203, 7-203, 8-203, 9-208.

Bengal bowling: Jaiswal 17-4-35-4, Mohanta 8-3-25-0, Kaif 18-5-48-2, Shahbaz 20-4-42-1, Bhati 9.3-0-30-1, Rahul 14-1-34-2.

Railways — 2nd innings: Zubair A. Khan b Shahbaz 0, Vivek Singh c Anustup b Rahul 29, Pratham Singh c Shakir b Kaif 9, Mohammad Saif c Mohanta b Rahul 3, Bhargav Merai (batting) 20, Suraj Ahuja lbw b Shahbaz 12, Upendra Yadav (batting) 12; Extras (nb-1, b-2, lb-2): 5; Total (for five wkts. in 39 overs): 90.

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-35, 3-42, 4-43, 5-66.

Bengal bowling: Jaiswal 4-3-8-0, Shahbaz 14-3-26-2, Rahul 11-1-34-2, Kaif 6-2-10-1, Bhati 4-2-8-0.

Published – November 10, 2025 08:25 pm IST

Arjun has played a patient knock to help Goa stay afloat.
| Photo Credit: N. Sudarshan

Prashant Chopra and captain Kunal Chandela’s dogged fifties in the second innings enabled Uttarakhand to put up a good fight against Bengal on the penultimate day of their Ranji Trophy Group-C match at the Eden Gardens here on Friday.

The visitors overcame the setback of losing opener Avneesh Sudha, who was caught in the slips to become Akash Deep’s first scalp, in the second over to close the day at 165 for two in its second essay and stay ahead by 55 runs.

Earlier, Bengal, resuming at 274 for six, finished at 323 to take a first innings lead of 110 runs.

In the morning, Sumanta Gupta returned to the home pavilion without adding anything to his overnight 82 as pacer Devendra Bora completed his maiden five-for to finish with figures of six for 79. However, the Bengal tail-enders made useful contributions and gathered 49 runs as the host’s lead crossed 100.

On a slow track that tested the patience and discipline of both batters and bowlers, Prashant (82, 163b, 10×4) and Chandela (68 batting, 203b, 8×4) adapted well and played deliveries on merit through a slow grind. Their 146-run partnership resisted Bengal’s ambition for an outright win.

Chandela, who held one end and gathered most of his runs through ones, got his boundaries predominantly on the leg-side.

Prashant, a former Himachal player making his first class debut for Uttarakhand, cut and drove well for his boundaries even though his primary focus was to work the ball around. He was trapped in front by left-arm spinner Vishal Bhati in the final hour.

The Bengal bowlers, including the star duo of Mohammed Shami and Akash, worked hard without much assistance from the surface. Shami, who bowled 15 overs in four spells including a second spell of five overs, had a better line and length and emerged as the most economical of the home bowlers.

The scores:

Uttarakhand — 1st innings: 213.

Bengal — 1st innings: Abhimanyu Easwaran c Chopra b Bora 0, Sudip Chatterjee c Suchith b Bora 98, Sudip Gharami c Chopra b Bora 15, Anustup Majumdar lbw b Bora 35, Abishek Porel c Janmejay b Avneesh 21, Sumanta Gupta b Bora 82, Vishal Bhati b Rajan 15, Suraj Jaiswal (not out) 20, Akash Deep c Avneesh b Bora 19, Mohammed Shami c Avneesh b Janmejay 10, Ishan Porel lbw b Suchith 0; Extras (b-1, lb-4, nb-1, w-2): 8; Total (in 108.5 overs): 323.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-20, 3-63, 4-98, 5-254, 6-274, 7-274, 8-294, 9-322.

Uttarakhand bowling: Bora 25-4-79-6, Rajan 16-1-60-1, Janmejay 15-2-42-1, Negi 21.4-4-52-0, Avneesh 12.2-0-33-1, Suchith 15.5-1-40-1, Dangwal 3-0-12-0.

Uttarakhand — 2nd innings: Avneesh Sudha c Chatterjee b Akash 1, Prashant Chopra lbw b Bhati 82, Kunal Chandela (batting) 68, Bhupen Lalwani (batting) 12; Extras (lb-1, w-1): 2; Total (for two wkts. in 67 overs): 165.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-147.

Bengal bowling: Shami 15-4-21-0, Akash 13-3-39-1, Ishan 12-2-39-0, Jaiswal 13-4-26-0, Bhati 14-1-39-1.

Published – October 17, 2025 07:26 pm IST

A resolute Vidarbha reduced Mumbai to 83 for three in their second innings here at the close of Day Four on Thursday, and the defending champions now need a further 323 to win the semifinal match on the fifth and final day. Mumbai are chasing a tall 406 for an improbable victory. Yash Rathod’s 151 (252 balls, 11 fours) and a dogged half-century from skipper Akshay Wadkar (52 off 202 balls, 5×4) took Vidarbha to 292 all out after resuming the day at 147 for four. Having already amassed a huge lead of 113 runs in the first essay, Vidarbha were able to set a huge target of 406. But Mumbai’s reply did not inspire much confidence.

Ayush Mhatre (18), Siddhesh Lad (2) and Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane (12) perished against spin bowling as Vidarbha tightened the screws on the visitors here at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha, setting themselves up to avenge their loss in the Ranji Trophy final last season.

Akash Anand, whose 106 was the only bright spot for Mumbai in the first innings, once again made a fine effort making 27 not out off 92 balls with one four.

At the other end, Shivam Dube was batting on 12. Mumbai are pinning their hopes on the likes of India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Tanush Kotian and Shams Mulani to produce a rearguard on the final day.

But the task would not be easy given the way spinners prised out three wickets to have fallen in the final session.

Mhatre was cleaned up by left-arm spinner Harsh Dube, who also had Lad stumped for a mere two when the No. 3 batter came dancing down the wicket.

Playing only his second First-Class game, the 25-year-old Parth Rekhade once again accounted for Rahane, trapping him leg-before for the third wicket for his side. The pair of Anand and Dube took charge to take Mumbai to stumps without any further damage.

But the day belonged to Vidarbha and two of its star players Rathod and Dube.

With his fifth century of the Ranji Trophy season, Rathod took his runs tally to 933 in nine matches at 58.31 which also includes three half-centuries.

With two more dismissals added to his tally on Thursday, the left-armer Dube’s tally this season swelled to 63 wickets in nine matches with six five-wicket hauls.

Earlier at resumption, Rathod and Wadkar batted with determination as Mumbai did not find much success in the first session. The left-handed Rathod brought up his ton from 168 balls while putting on a stoic 158-run stand with Wadkar for the fifth wicket.

The pair was separated when Mulani cleaned up Wadkar for 52 in the 82nd over, and the Mumbai spinner added three more wickets to his column to return 44-9-85-6.

Kotian took 3/81 while Thakur claimed one wicket.

Gujarat vs Kerala

A resilient 72-run unbroken partnership for the eighth wicket between Jaymeet Patel and Siddharth Desai, following a commanding 148 from opener Priyank Panchal, kept Gujarat on the brink of a third Ranji Trophy final as they finished day four at 429/7 in response to Kerala’s 457 after penultimate day’s play here on Wednesday. Jaymeet, displaying immense patience and temperament, remained unbeaten on 74 from 161 deliveries, curbing his natural strokeplay.

His innings, which included just two boundaries, exemplified his determination to grind out a crucial innings under pressure.

Desai, offering staunch support, was unbeaten on 24 from 134 balls, making full use of his reprieve on 11.

The left-handed duo showed remarkable composure, battling through 36.4 overs as Gujarat trailed by just 28 runs with three wickets in hand heading into the final day.

With the first-innings lead likely to decide the contest, Jaymeet and Desai would look to inch closer to Kerala’s total and push their team into the Ranji Trophy final after 2016-17 when they had won their maiden title. Gujarat had also advanced into the Ranji final in 1950-51 when they finished runners-up.

Kerala started the day strongly. Domestic stalwart Jalaj Saxena led the act with his clever spin bowling.

Manan Hingrajia (33) was the first to fall in the morning session, adding just three runs to his overnight total before Jalaj trapped him leg-before.

Panchal followed soon after, falling agonisingly short of 150 as Jalaj struck again. He got out for 148 (237 balls, 18x4s, 1×6) that proved a major setback for the home side.

Wicketkeeper-batter Urvil Patel (25) was the third victim of the morning, stumped after being deceived by Jalaj’s flight.

Jalaj was the backbone of Kerala’s bowling effort, sending down a herculean 61 overs.

He bowled unchanged in the morning session and took all three wickets to fall before lunch.

By lunch, Gujarat had slipped to 325/5, with Kerala sensing an opportunity to take control and gain that crucial first innings lead.

Skipper Chintan Gaja (2) fell immediately after the break, once again to Jalaj, who ended the day with figures of 4/137 in a marathon 61-over bowling spell, which included 12 maidens.

With Gujarat reeling at 357/7, still trailing by 100 runs, the onus was on Jaymeet and Desai to script a fightback.

The duo rose to the occasion, showing remarkable patience and resilience, particularly in the face of a tiring Kerala attack that struggled to maintain intensity.

As the final session commenced, Jaymeet and Desai showcased extraordinary defensive technique and patience, denying Kerala bowlers any further breakthroughs.

Jaymeet brought up his fifty off 107 balls with a single against Nidheesh. This was his fifth consecutive 50-plus score in the Ranji Trophy, which included two centuries.

Desai, dropped on 11 by Akshay Chandran at second slip, made Kerala pay for their lapse.

Though he managed only one boundary in his 134-ball stay, his solid defensive approach frustrated the opposition, complementing Jaymeet’s measured innings.

Despite having close-in fielders surrounding the bat in a gripping final session, Kerala bowlers looked increasingly listless.

Jaymeet cleverly manoeuvred the field to pick up easy singles, ensuring the scoreboard kept ticking.

The lack of support for Jalaj from the rest was evident and is likely to hurt Kerala, as the fielders failed to sustain the pressure and bowlers struggled to find breakthroughs.

Pace spearhead MD Nidheesh struggled with accuracy and finished with 1/86 from 23 overs, proving to be the most expensive of their six-man attack.

N Basil (1/59; 22 overs) and Aditya Sarwate (1/104; 36 overs) managed a wicket each but failed to apply sustained pressure, allowing Gujarat’s lower order to build a crucial stand.

Gujarat had earlier made a strategic decision to bring in Hemang Patel as a concussion substitute for Ravi Bishnoi, who was ruled out after suffering a delayed concussion from a blow to the forehead while fielding on day three.

Bishnoi had dived full-length at point in an attempt to stop a shot, only for the ball to ricochet off his hand onto his head.

The injury forced Gujarat to call in Hemang, who coming in at No. 5, played an aggressive knock to counter Kerala’s attack.

He took on Jalaj, hitting two boundaries in the 94th over, and also dispatched Aditya Sarwate for a six in an effort to keep Gujarat in the hunt.

Brief scores:

Vidarbha 383 & 292 in 110.1 overs (Yash Rathod 151, Akshay Wadkar 52; Shams Mulani 6/85, Tanush Kotian 3/81) lead Mumbai 270 & 83/3 in 31 overs (Akash Anand 27 batting; Harsh Dubey 2/26, Parth Rekhade 1/16) by 323 runs.

Kerala 1st Innings: 457 all out vs Gujarat 1st Innings: 429/7 in 154 overs (Priyank Panchal 148, Jaymeet Patel 74 batting, Aarya Desai 73, Siddharth Desai 24 batting; Jalaj Saxena 4/137). Gujarat trail by 28 runs.

Yash Rathod and Akshay Wadkar shared an unbroken 91-run partnership as Vidarbha recovered from a mini collapse to lead by 260 runs against Mumbai at stumps on day three of their Ranji Trophy semifinal here on Wednesday. After Vidarbha dismissed Mumbai for 270 to take a first-innings lead of 113 runs, the hosts found themselves in trouble after being reduced to 56 for four, thanks to Shams Mulani’s (2/50) two-wicket burst. However, Rathod (59) and Wadkar (31) steadied the ship, guiding Vidarbha to 147 for four in 53 overs.

At stumps, the duo, who train at the same academy in Nagpur, remained at the crease, but with Mulani and the spinners making the ball talk, Vidarbha are aware that the job is far from over, with two full days of play remaining.

With a 113-run first innings lead in hand, the hosts had a solid foundation, but Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur (1/14) gave them a glimmer of hope with an early breakthrough in the second over.

Thakur, who is set to join Essex for the County Championship, removed Atharva Taide for a duck, trapping him in front with an inswinger.

Danish Malewar (29), who scored a vital 79 in the first innings, looked in good touch, hitting five boundaries before Mulani dismissed him off his own bowling with a sharp caught-and-bowl effort, leaving Vidarbha at 40 for two.

Karun Nair (6), in scintillating form, joined opener Dhruv Shorey (13) at the crease, but Tanush Kotian (1/33) made an impact, dismissing Shorey LBW after he missed a classic off-break delivery.

Much was expected of Nair, but he too fell, sent back by Mulani, as Vidarbha slumped to 56 for four. Nair was rapped on the pads while trying to defend and although he challenged the on-field umpire’s decision, he lost the appeal.

Wadkar and Rathod then regrouped, building a steady partnership to bring Vidarbha back on track.

Earlier, Akash Anand completed his second first-class century and shared a 69-run stand with Tanush Kotian (33) to lead Mumbai’s recovery after they ended the second day at 188 for seven.

Anand, who resumed his innings on 67, played a gritty knock, facing 256 balls and hitting 11 fours. His partnership with Kotian took Mumbai close to the 250-mark before left-arm spinner Parth Rekhade broke the stand, removing Kotian with a delivery that drifted in from around the stumps to bowl him out.

Anand, who had reached double figures with a boundary to fine leg, was dismissed in the 88th over, caught behind while chasing a wide delivery from Nachiket Bhute.

Mohit Avasthi was the last man to fall, cleaned up by Harsh Dubey, as Mumbai were bowled out for 270 just before lunch.

Gujarat vs Kerala

Gujarat’s seasoned batter Priyank Panchal played a solid knock, remaining unbeaten on 117, as the former champions reached 222 for 1 at stumps on Day 3 of their Ranji Trophy semifinal against Kerala, here on Wednesday. Trailing by just 235 runs with two full days remaining, Gujarat’s batting unit showed resilience and intent on a placid Motera surface, where it seemed Kerala found themselves 100 runs short, having scored at snail’s pace.

Resuming their first innings at 418/7, Kerala added 39 more runs before being bowled out for 457 just 10 overs into the morning session.

Mohammed Azharuddeen remained stranded on a magnificent 177 off 341 balls, his career-best knock featuring 20 fours and a solitary six.

His innings provided the backbone to Kerala’s total as wickets tumbled around him.

Gujarat skipper Chintan Gaja provided the first breakthrough of the day, dismissing Aditya Sarwate with a delivery that straightened from middle stump to clip the off-stump.

Sarwate managed just one run before becoming Gaja’s 200th first-class victim in his 59th match.

Sensing the urgency to add quick runs, Azharuddeen took Kerala past 450 with a boundary off Arzan Nagwaswalla.

However, with wickets falling at the other end, the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter was left stranded as Nidheesh MD (run out) and Nedumankuzhy Basil (bowled by Gaja) perished in quick succession.

In response, Gujarat began their innings with a positive intent as openers Panchal and Aarya Desai put together a solid 131-run stand in 36.4 overs.

Desai, aggressive yet composed, scored 73 off 118 balls, striking 11 boundaries and one six.

He looked assured before losing control and dragged a wide delivery from Basil onto his stumps.

Despite that breakthrough, Kerala’s bowlers struggled to make further inroads.

Panchal, a veteran of the domestic circuit, anchored the innings with a mix of caution and aggression.

Panchal reached his 29th first-class century– his second of the season — off just 155 balls, bringing up the milestone in style with a six over long-on against Sarwate.

The 34-year-old, once on the fringes of the Indian team after Gujarat’s maiden Ranji Trophy triumph in 2016-17, has had an ordinary season with only one century (against Rajasthan) and a half-century (against Vidarbha) prior to this match.

However, he delivered when his team needed him the most.

Hingrajia provided solid support at the other end with a patient, unbeaten 30 off 108 balls, hitting three boundaries.

For Kerala, veteran spinner Jalaj posed some questions and induced a few edges, but the lack of support from the field meant Gujarat kept consolidating.

Brief scores:

Vidarbha 383 & 147 in 53 overs (Yash Rathod 59 not out; Shams Mulani 2/50) lead Mumbai 270 all out in 92 overs (Akash Anand 106; Parth Rekhade 4/55) by 260 runs. 

Kerala 457; 187 overs (Mohammed Azharuddeen 177 not out, Sachin Baby 69, Salman Nizar 52; Arzan Nagwaswalla 3/81, Chintan Gaja 2/75). Gujarat 222/1; 71 overs (Priyank Panchal 117 batting, Aarya Desai 73, Manan Hingrajia 30 batting; Nedumankuzhy Basil 1/40). Gujarat trail by 235 runs.