Nagpur, Mar 1 (UNI) Karun Nair’s stellar century put Vidarbha in a commanding position on the fourth day of the Ranji Trophy final against Kerala at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium here on Saturday.
At stumps, Vidarbha stood at 249/4 in 90 overs in their second innings, holding a formidable lead of 286 runs. Nair remained unbeaten on 132 off 280 deliveries, laced with 10 boundaries and two sixes, guiding his team towards a dominant position.
Earlier, Kerala was bowled out for 342 in first innings after Vidarbha made 379 in its first innings.
Vidarbha weathered an early setback but soon found stability through the resolute partnership between Nair and Danish Malewar. The duo stitched a vital 182-run stand for the third wicket, frustrating Kerala’s bowlers on a pitch that remained favourable for batting.
Earlier in the day, Kerala had sniffed an opportunity after dismissing both openers – Parth Rekhade (1) and Dhruv Shorey (5) – cheaply with just 7 runs on the board. However, a crucial lapse in the field saw Akshay Chandran drop Nair when he was on 31. The missed opportunity proved costly as the experienced batsman capitalised on it to reach his well-compiled century.
Malewar, who had already made a significant contribution in the first innings with 153 runs, played a solid supporting role, scoring 73 before his dismissal just before the tea break. Kerala bowlers, despite maintaining discipline, struggled to find breakthroughs on a pitch offering little assistance.
With only one day left in India’s domestic season, Vidarbha hold the upper hand, needing to bat out a portion of the final day to all but seal the prestigious Ranji Trophy title. Kerala, on the other hand, face an uphill task of pulling off a miraculous turnaround.
The final day’s play will resume at 9:30 am, where Vidarbha will look to extend their lead further and cement their dominance in this high-stakes encounter.
