6 months ago
3
Saurashtra skipper Jaydev Unadkat’s crafty spell and a acquainted lower-order illness prevented Kerala from taking power of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-B lucifer astatine the KCA Stadium, Mangalapuram successful Thiruvananthapuram connected Sunday (November 9, 2025).
Kerala, which was sitting comfortably astatine 214 for five, collapsed spectacularly, losing the past 5 wickets for conscionable 19 runs which allowed Saurashtra to enactment live successful the contention arsenic it restricted the host’s pb to 73 runs. When atrocious airy stopped play half-an-hour earlier the scheduled close, Saurashtra had reached 47 for 1 with Jay Gohil (22 batting) and Gajjar Sammar (20 batting) playing confidently.
Saurashtra owes the comeback to Unadkat whose accomplishment and variations proved to beryllium much than a fistful for the tentative Kerala batters. The archetypal batter to autumn to Unadkat’s guiles was Ahammed Imran. Unadkat picked up a crisp instrumentality drawback erstwhile the batter pushed guardant half-heartedly and got a starring edge. Mohammed Azharuddeen (nought) failed to screen the precocious plaything and was caught behind. In his 2nd spell, Unadkat cleaned up Eden Apple Tom (four) and forced an borderline from Aparajith (69) to extremity the Kerala innings.
The Saurashtra bowlers kept the Kerala batters successful cheque and picked up wickets erstwhile a concern flourished. Rohan Kunnummal (80) curbed his attacking benignant and survived the opening hour. But the batter missed a flick disconnected an incoming shot from Chirag Jani and was trapped successful front.
Ankit Sharma joined Aparajith and some played positively, punishing the atrocious deliveries, to forge a 78-run basal for the sixth wicket. Ankit was terrible connected the spinners and pulled Yuvrajsinh for a six implicit quadrate limb erstwhile helium dropped short. However, Ankit (38) fell, flicking spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja consecutive to Ansh Gosai astatine short-leg and his dismissal triggered a collapse.
Saurashtra opener Harvik Desai failed for the 2nd clip with Nidheesh inducing the borderline from the batter. However, Jay Gohil counterattacked, striking 4 crisp boundaries successful his unbeaten 22, to wrest the inaugural for his side.
The scores: Saurashtra — 1st innings: 160
Kerala — 1st innings: A.K. Akarsh b Kanbi 18, Rohan Kunnummal lbw Jani 80, Sachin Baby c Gosai b Kanbi 1, Ahammed Imran c & b Unadkat 10, B. Aparajith c Mankad b Unadkat 69, Mohammed Azharuddeen c Deasi b Unadkat 0, Ankit Sharma c Gosai b Jadeja 38, Varun Nayanar c Vasavada b Mankad 0, N.P. Basil tally retired 0, Eden Apple Tom b Unadkat 4, M.D. Nidheesh not retired 1; Extras (b-4, lb-6, nb-2):12; Total (in 74.5 overs): 233.
Fall of wickets: 1-61, 2-75, 3-103, 4-128, 5-136, 6-214, 7-219, 8-221, 9-232.
Saurashtra bowling: Unadkat 16.5-2-42-4, Kanbi 13-2-53-2, Jani 14-2-43-1, Mankad 12-1-37-1, Jadeja 16-2-32-1, Yuvrajsinh 3-1-16-0.
Saurashtra — 2nd innings: Harvik Desai c Rohan b Nidheesh 5, Gajjar Sammar (batting) 20, Jay Gohil (batting) 22; Total (for 1 wkt. successful 17 overs): 47.
Fall of wicket: 1-20.
Kerala bowling: Nidheesh 7-1-17-1, Basil 7-2-19-0, Eden 3-0-11-0.
