Day three of the Ranji Trophy semi-finals saw Kerala and Vidarbha maintaining strong positions in their respective matches, while Mumbai’s struggles deepened. Gujarat’s Priyank Panchal led a solid fightback with a century, but Mumbai’s star-studded batting line-up continued to falter, putting them in serious danger of losing.
Kerala vs Gujarat: Priyank Panchal’s grit keeps Gujarat in hunt
Kerala continued their dominance against Gujarat by extending their first-innings total to 457. Mohammed Azharuddeen, who resumed overnight on 150, remained unbeaten on a brilliant 177 off 341 balls, helping Kerala push for a commanding lead. Chintan Gaja was Gujarat’s best bowler, taking 2/75, while Arzan Nagwaswalla couldn’t better his three-fer from the first two days, finishing with 3/81.
In response, Gujarat made a strong start with a 131-run opening stand between Aarya Desai (73) and Priyank Panchal. N Basil broke the partnership by clean-bowling Desai, but Panchal carried on, reaching an unbeaten 117 off 200 balls. At stumps, Gujarat were 222/1 in 71 overs, still trailing by 235 runs. With nine wickets in hand, they will be confident of reducing the deficit on day four. Panchal, who was on the fringes of the Indian team for a couple of tours, has been fantastic in this innings. He has so far hammered 13 fours and a six.
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Vidarbha vs Mumbai: Karun Nair fails as Mumbai’s hopes Fade
Mumbai’s batting struggles continued as they were bowled out for 270 in 92 overs, handing Vidarbha a crucial 113-run first-innings lead. Akash Anand was the lone warrior for Mumbai, scoring a gritty 106 off 256 balls, but he found little support from his teammates. Had Akash not notched up a hundred, Mumbai would’ve definitely be under dire straits. Parth Rekhade was the star for Vidarbha, taking 4/66, including the key wickets of Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shivam Dube in a three-wicket over.
Vidarbha, in their second innings, faced some hiccups but still maintained control. Karun Nair, who has had a mixed Ranji season, failed to fire, getting dismissed for 6 off 17 balls by Shams Mulani. Mulani got Nair plumb in front of the stumps. He made 45 runs in the first innings. At stumps, Vidarbha were 147/4 in 53 overs, with Yash Rathod (59*) and skipper Akshay Wadkar (31*) at the crease. They now hold a 260-run overall lead, leaving Mumbai with an uphill task on day four.
Ranji Trophy Brief Scores Day 3
| Match | Teams | Scorecard | Lead/Trail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranji Trophy Semi Final 1 | Gujarat vs Kerala | Gujarat: 222/1 (71.0 ov), Kerala: 457 (187.0 ov) | Gujarat Trail By 235 Runs |
| Ranji Trophy Semi Final 2 | Vidarbha vs Mumbai | Vidarbha: 383 (107.5 ov) & 147/4 (53.0 ov), Mumbai: 270 (92.0 ov) | Vidarbha Lead By 260 Runs |
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