The Ranji Trophy clash between Kerala and Maharashtra at the Greenfield Stadium ended in a tame draw, largely due to persistent rain that washed out substantial play over the first three days. The final day’s main point of interest was whether young sensation Prithvi Shaw, now representing Maharashtra, could echo his memorable Ranji debut century for Mumbai.
With an eased-out pitch favoring batsmen, conditions were ripe for scoring. Shaw even received an early reprieve on the very first ball of the day when B. Aparajith dropped a straightforward catch at point off M.D. Nidheesh. Displaying unusual restraint, Shaw initially focused on rotating the strike rather than going for aggressive shots. However, his natural attacking instinct eventually led to his dismissal for a well-made 75, as he snicked a delivery from left-arm spinner Akshay Chandran into the gloves of wicketkeeper Mohammed Azharuddeen.
Following Shaw’s departure, Ruturaj Gaikwad continued to impress, crafting his second fluent half-century of the match, remaining unbeaten on 55. He was ably supported by Siddhesh Veer, who also notched up an unbeaten 55 after being dropped early by Sanju Samson at slips off Ankit Sharma. The pair forged a solid 104-run partnership for the third wicket before both captains mutually agreed to call off the game in the post-lunch session, confirming the draw.
Kerala captain Azharuddeen expressed his disappointment over the missed opportunities, particularly criticizing his senior batsmen for failing to convert their promising starts into substantial scores. “Our senior batters should have turned their starts into big innings,” Azharuddeen stated. “We had favorable conditions on the first and third days, with early help for our bowlers that saw them reduced to 18 for five. But Ruturaj and Jalaj batted exceptionally well. When we batted on the third day, the pitch had become easier, but we couldn’t capitalize on it.” He also acknowledged the impact of Jalaj Saxena’s presence for Maharashtra: “Jalaj’s insights made a difference; he understood that Salman Nizar would target spinners and advised Ankit Bawne to spread the field and stick with pace.”
Match Summary:
- Maharashtra 1st Innings: 239
- Kerala 1st Innings: 219
- Maharashtra 2nd Innings: 224 for 2 in 71 overs
- Prithvi Shaw c Azharuddeen b Akshay: 75
- Arshin Kulkarni lbw b Basil: 34
- Siddhesh Veer: 55 not out
- Ruturaj Gaikwad: 55 not out
- Extras (b-4, lb-1): 5
- Fall of Wickets: 1-84, 2-121
- Kerala Bowling:
- Nidheesh: 8-1-36-0
- Ankit: 24-0-75-0
- Akshay: 21-2-51-1
- Basil: 7-0-23-1
- Aparajith: 11-1-34-0