In the Ranji Trophy final, Kerala finished the day at 342, trailing Vidarbha’s 379 by 37 runs. Sachin Baby’s brilliant 98, built over 234 balls, ended abruptly, triggering Kerala’s collapse as they lost their last three wickets quickly. Vidarbha’s bowlers, especially Harsh Dubey and Parth Rekhade, claimed six wickets, with Dubey achieving a season-high 69 wickets. Kerala, once close to a lead, faltered dramatically despite a solid performance from Aditya Sarwate (79). Jalaj Saxena’s wicket, just after Baby’s departure, marked a critical turning point, leaving Kerala to regroup with two days remaining.
Stumps Kerala 342 (Baby 98, Sarwate 79, Nalkande 3-52, Rekhade 3-65, Dubey 3-88) trail Vidarbha 379 (Malewar 153, Nair 86, Nidheesh 3-61, Apple Tom 3-102) by 37 runs
The crucial moment occurred half an hour into the final session when Rekhade dangled a tempting delivery as Baby neared three figures in his 100th first-class match. With a mid-on in place, Baby attempted to clear the infield but unfortunately dragged the ball to Karun Nair, stationed at deep midwicket. The disbelief on Baby’s face as he walked off was palpable; it felt like Kerala’s aspirations hinged on the lead that was ultimately wrested away when the tailenders were swiftly dismissed.
Jalaj Saxena, the last bastion for Kerala, fought valiantly for 76 balls, scoring 28 before he attempted a paddle shot off Rekhade, only to miss completely as the ball shattered the stumps. As Kerala still sought 43 runs, the inevitability of the collapse loomed large. Saxena’s wicket was pivotal as he had seemed to be in control against the spin, navigating the tricky deliveries with some difficulty as the ball occasionally misbehaved on the rough patches.
The sequence leading up to Saxena’s dismissal was punctuated by a lengthy break as Yash Rathod collapsed from cramps and required treatment from the physio. This pause appeared to disrupt Saxena’s focus as he attempted a paddle shot from outside off after successfully executing that stroke several times earlier in his innings against deliveries drifting onto his pads.
After Saxena’s dismissal, Kerala quickly crumbled, with 19-year-old Eden Apple Tom, playing only his third Ranji game and his first in nearly three years, getting bowled while attempting a sweep shot after having defended resolutely for a good 45 minutes. The final hour negated all the hard work Baby had done to position Kerala within striking distance of a lead, but he would recognize that with two full days remaining and two top-quality spinners in Vidarbha’s lineup, Kerala’s chances of a comeback depend on how swiftly they can shake off the pall of disappointment that enveloped the dressing room post their last wicket’s fall.
One delivery that leapt at Sarwate ended with a lob to Danish Malewar at silly point, shortly after Sarwate had been reprieved by a dropped catch at gully. This wicket triggered an offensive from Vidarbha, leading Baby, who successfully overturned an lbw decision via DRS at 54, to open up his stroke play, crafting some delightful shots early on. His success lay in his ability to play the ball late while maintaining disciplined shot selection outside off stump.
Mohammed Azharuddeen relieved some of the pressure from Baby as he effectively late-cut the spinners, steadily reducing the deficit to single digits. However, Vidarbha’s decision to take the second new ball midway through the 93rd over quickly bore fruit, with Azharuddeen getting trapped lbw by an in-ducker from Darshan Nalkande that beat his inside edge on the very first ball of the 94th over.
Saxena then displayed intent at the start, hitting two boundaries off his first five balls, before settling down in Baby’s company. The duo added 46 runs until Baby’s ill-advised hoick—akin to a moment of distraction—altered the dynamics of the innings and potentially the match itself.
Shashank Kishore is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo