Bengaluru, Oct 17 (UNI) In a thrilling Group A contest at Rajkot, Karnataka and Saurashtra battled for the upper hand in a seesawing third day of Ranji Trophy 2025-26 action, with the hosts narrowly clinching a first-innings lead after a tense last-wicket stand.
Saurashtra’s Yuvrajsinh Dodiya and Chetan Sakariya combined to add 35 crucial runs when 31 were needed to surpass Karnataka’s total, earning their side what could prove to be three vital points. The hots ended their innings at 376 in 121.3 overs.
Earlier, Karnataka leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal had run through the middle order with a seven-wicket haul after Saurashtra began strongly at 140 for no loss in reply to Karnataka’s 372.
With just over four sessions remaining in the game, the onus is now on Karnataka skipper Mayank Agarwal to decide whether to push for an outright win or play it safe to secure points. The contest promises high drama on the final day.
In Srinagar, Mumbai set Jammu & Kashmir a target of 243 after being bowled out for 181 in the second innings. At stumps, J&K were 21 for 1, with opener Shubham Khajuria dismissed by Tushar Deshpande. Veteran Paras Dogra’s earlier 144 had helped J&K cut down Mumbai’s lead and keep the game alive.
In Ranchi, Tamil Nadu endured a forgettable outing as they were bundled out for 93 in response to Jharkhand’s 419 and made to follow on. Seamer Jatin Singh was the wrecker-in-chief with a five-wicket haul.
In Surat, debutant Parth Vats inspired Haryana to a sensational 96-run win over Railways — the first outright result of the season. His unbeaten 110 in the second innings turned the match on its head before Nikhi Kashyap and Nishant Sindhu shared nine wickets between them, to finish the job.
At Eden Gardens, Bengal built a 110-run lead over Uttarakhand, thanks to Sudip Chatterjee (98) and Sumanta Ghosh (82). Meanwhile in Hyderabad, Tilak Varma fell for a duck as Hyderabad trailed Delhi by 129 runs despite Tanmay Agarwal’s 132.
In Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala found hope in Sanju Samson’s fluent 54 against Maharashtra after being reduced to 35 for 3, but a late lapse cost him his wicket to left-arm spinner Vicky Ostwal.
As the third day concluded across multiple venues, the Ranji Trophy 2025–26 season continued to deliver gripping contests — with Karnataka, J&K, and Tamil Nadu all facing crucial final-day tests.
