Aditya Sarwate’s unbeaten 66 helped Kerala recover from early setbacks on Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy final against Mumbai.
Highlights:
- Vidarbha fought back after early setbacks to end Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy final against Mumbai at 131/3.
- Aditya Sarwate shined for Vidarbha with an unbeaten 66.
Kerala fought back against Mumbai on Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy final, thanks to Aditya Sarwate’s gritty 66*. They ended the day at 131/3, trailing by 248 runs. Earlier, Kerala’s bowlers restricted Vidarbha to 379, denying them a 400-run total.
Vidarbha aimed for a 450+ total after a strong start but were restricted to 379, thanks to Kerala’s bowlers. Danish Malewar’s career-best 153 and Karun Nair’s 86 provided a solid base, but MD Nidheesh, Eden Apple Tom, and NM Basil fought back. Basil dismissed Malewar, while Eden Apple Tom removed Yash Rathod (3) and skipper Akshay Wadkar, both caught behind, helping Kerala regain control.
Despite losing key wickets, Vidarbha’s lower order, led by Nachiket Bhute, Akshay Karnewar, and Harsh Dubey, added crucial runs to push the total to 379. In response, Kerala struggled early as Darshan Nalkande struck twice, removing openers Akshay Chandran and Rohan Kunnummal, leaving them at 14/2.
Aditya Sarwate, a key player in Vidarbha’s past Ranji Trophy wins, became Kerala’s stabilizing force. Having joined Kerala last season, the 35-year-old showed resilience, scoring an unbeaten 66 off 120 balls with 10 boundaries. His knock brought much-needed stability, keeping Kerala’s fightback alive.
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Aditya Sarwate had some luck in his innings as Vidarbha missed a caught-behind appeal off Akshay Wadkar in the 25th over, later revealed as a missed chance. He then built a crucial 93-run partnership with Ahammed Imran, who contributed 37. Imran also got an early reprieve when a substitute fielder dropped a catch, but their stand was vital in stabilizing Kerala’s innings.
Despite these fielding lapses, Vidarbha eventually broke the partnership late in the day. Yash Thakur dismissed Imran, who mistimed a pull shot, offering a simple catch to a substitute fielder. With Sarwate unbeaten, Kerala will look to build on their solid foundation on Day 3, aiming to reduce the deficit and put pressure back on Vidarbha.
