Historical!! Kerala enter Ranji Trophy final for the first time after narrow two-run first-innings lead

Kerala made history by securing a place in their first-ever Ranji Trophy final after taking a slim two-run first-innings lead against Gujarat at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. In a tense and closely fought encounter, Kerala held their nerve to edge past Gujarat and book a spot in the Ranji Trophy final.

Kerala chose to bat first after winning the toss and put up a strong total of 457. M Azharuddeen scored a brilliant 177 runs. Gujarat fought hard in response, with Priyank Panchal scoring 148 runs. Aarya Desai and Jaymeet Patel contributed crucial 70s. However, Gujarat fell just short of Kerala’s total.

Kerala Advance to Ranji Trophy Final for First Time

Gujarat began Day 5 in a strong position at 429/7, needing just 28 more runs to take the first-innings lead. Overnight batter Jaymeet Patel, who had already scored a half-century, was at the crease alongside Siddharth Desai.

However, Kerala turned the game around by swiftly dismissing the last three Gujarat batters for just 26 runs. In the Ranji Trophy, a first-innings lead is considered a victory if the match ends in a draw. This rule played a crucial role in Kerala’s journey to the final.

The Sachin Baby-led team edged past Jammu & Kashmir in the quarterfinals by securing a dramatic one-run first-innings lead. The match ended in a draw, but that advantage was enough to propel Kerala to the semifinals, marking only their second appearance at this stage since the 2018-19 season.

Aditya Sarwate Provides First Breakthrough for Kerala on Day 5

Kerala struck early on Day 5 as Jaymeet Patel was stumped by Azharuddeen off Aditya Sarwate’s bowling. Azharuddeen, who had starred with the bat earlier, executed a perfectly timed dismissal. Despite the breakthrough, Gujarat remained in contention, needing 22 more runs to take the lead.

Sarwate delivered once again for his team. The bowler trapped Siddharth Desai leg before. Initially, the appeal was for a catch at short leg, but replays confirmed a clear LBW. The Kerala players erupted in celebration, sensing that they were on the verge of a historic victory.

Gujarat hoped Priyajitsing Jadeja and Arzan Nagwaswalla would score together 10 more runs. However, their resistance was cut short in a dramatic fashion when Nagwaswalla’s powerful pull shot bounced off Salman Nizar’s helmet at short leg and was caught in the slips by Sachin.

With a narrow first-innings lead secured, Kerala now needed to focus on their second innings. A draw would guarantee their first-ever Ranji Trophy final appearance, while Gujarat had no choice but to push for victory to secure their third final berth.

Brief scores:

Kerala 457 runs in 187 overs (Mohammed Azharuddeen 177 not out, Sachin Baby 69, Salman Nizar 52, Arzan Nagwaswalla 3/81, Chintan Gaja 2/75) vs Gujarat 455 in 174.4 overs (Priyank Panchal 148, Jaymeet Patel 79, Aarya Desai 73, Jalaj Saxena 4/149, Aditya Sarwate 4/111).

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