A resilient Kerala on Friday (February 21, 2025) sealed their maiden Ranji Trophy final by taking a dramatic two-run first-innings lead over Gujarat, 68 years after making their debut in Indian cricket’s premier home competitors.
Going into the final day at 429/7, the house facet, who gained the Ranji title in 2016-17, wanted simply 29 runs to take a first innings lead.
However, left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate delivered beneath stress, taking all three wickets to bowl Gujarat out for 455 in 174.4 overs to go away them two runs in need of the mark.
Making solely their second semifinal look, the guests had been left pissed off by a dogged 72-run eighth-wicket stand between Jaymeet Patel (74 in a single day) and Siddharth Desai (24 in a single day). They began the day needing three wickets with simply 28 runs to defend.
Kerala, who final made the semifinals in 2018-19 after making their Ranji debut again in 1957, will face Vidarbha in the summit conflict after the latter defeat heavyweights Mumbai by 80 runs in the opposite semifinal.
Sarwate’s breakthroughs got here amid excessive drama, together with a dropped catch, a good stumping choice, and a profitable DRS overview that overturned a caught-out name to an LBW dismissal.
First it was Kerala skipper Sachin Baby, who dropped the well-set Jaymeet with Gujarat 23 runs shy of a lead.
But Jaymeet couldn’t make it depend and perished for 79 (177 balls; 2×4) in the identical over when he dragged his foot outdoors the crease whereas the ball handed his outdoors edge for Mohammed Azharuddeen to finish a wonderful stumping.
After a number of replays, umpire lastly dominated him out as his foot was discovered to be on the road when the bail was knocked off as Kerala camp went up in celebration.
But there was extra to the competition as Gujarat left-arm fast Arzan Nagwaswalla, batting at No 10, counter-attacked and smashed Akshay Chandran for a canopy boundary to take them inside 14 runs of the lead.
Breakthrough for Kerala got here with Gujarat 11 runs behind when Sarwate broke the dogged resistance of Siddharth Desai, who received out for 30 that got here off 164 balls with only one boundary.
Desai reviewed a caught-out choice, and whereas Ultra Edge confirmed no spike, ball-tracking confirmed it could have hit leg stump, overturning the decision to LBW.
Nagwaswalla and final man Priyajitsinh Jadeja introduced Gujarat inside eight runs when Kerala missed a half-chance, with the ball slipping from Salman Nizar’s grasp.
Jalaj Saxena almost claimed his fifth wicket as Nagwaswalla’s inside edge brushed previous leg stump, leaving Gujarat simply two runs brief.
Then got here the decisive second.
Sarwate tossed one up, Nagwaswalla swung exhausting, and the ball ricocheted off Nizar’s helmet at brief leg earlier than lobbing to Baby at slip.
The Amay Khurasiya-coached facet erupted in celebration, securing a historic Ranji final berth as a dejected Nagwaswalla walked again in disbelief.
For Kerala, Sarwate, who had began the day with 1/101, ended with figures of 45.4-7-111-4.
Jalaj, who toiled exhausting for 71 overs, returned with 4/149 together with 14 maidens.
With their maiden Ranji final berth secured, Kerala batted with ease in the second innings, scoring 114 for 4 in 46 overs in their second innings in the drawn affair.
Jalaj top-scored for Kerala with an unbeaten 37 off 90 balls, whereas opener Rohan Kunnummal made 32.
Desai (2/45) and Manan Hingrajia (2/22) picked up two wickets apiece for Gujarat.
Brief Scores
Kerala 457 and 114 for 4 in 46 overs (Jalaj Saxena 37 not out, Rohan Kunnummal 32; Manan Hingrajia 2/22, Siddharth Desai 2/45) vs Gujarat 455; 174.4 overs (Priyank Panchal 148, Jaymeet Patel 79, Aarya Desai 73; Jalaj Saxena 4/149, Aditya Sarwate 4/111). Kerala win by advantage of first innings lead.
Published – February 21, 2025 04:25 pm IST
