Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Kerala plays out thrilling draw against Madhya Pradesh
Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Kerala plays out thrilling draw against Madhya Pradesh
Kerala survived by the skin of its teeth as it played out a thrilling draw against Madhya Pradesh in a Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match at the Greenfield International Stadium here on Sunday.
Chasing 363, Kerala was reduced to 47 for five in the opening session before some resolute batting by its lower middle order kept it alive.
Madhya Pradesh came just two wickets away from a win in the final hour of play before the home team scrapped through some nervy moments to sign off the stalemate and claim three points for its first-innings lead.
The result allowed Kerala to retain its second position in the standings, while Madhya Pradesh continues to be second from the bottom.
The final day began with Kerala’s batters bearing the brunt of the Greenfield pitch’s variable bounce. While Kuldeep Sen had Shoun Roger caught behind with one that rose sharply, Aryan Pandey trapped Rohan Kunnummal in front with a shooter.
Kerala soon lost wickets in a heap, feeding the eagerness of an excited Madhya Pradesh side. Resistance though came in the form of a steadfast 74-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Mohammed Azharuddeen and Jalaj Saxena.
Azharuddeen renounced his usual brand of attacking cricket and embraced the virtue of patience. The right-handed batter’s 68-run knock today is only the third time he has played more than 150 balls in a Ranji innings.
But Saxena’s resolve melted through an attempted sweep shot, resulting in a top edge, which wicket-keeper Himanshu Mantri swooped up.
Madhya Pradesh’s hopes of wrapping up an easy win though were thwarted by a counter-attacking Aditya Sarwate.
The Kerala all-rounder wasn’t bogged down by the situation as he took on the aggressive route. Sarwate’s intent was at best display when he got to his fifty with back-to-back sixes against Kumar Kartikeya Singh off the last two balls of the second session.
Throughout the day, Madhya Pradesh skipper Shubham Sharma smothered the home batters with a heavy blanket of close-in fielders. In their 90-run stand, Sarwate and Azharuddeen countered the situation by stretching forward in their front-foot defence against the spinners, which also helped negate the inconsistent bounce.
In the final hour of the day, Kerala lost Azharuddeen to the second new ball, with Kuldeep claiming the scalp. Sarwate lasted nearly nine more overs before being dislodged by Kartikeya, right after he touched 80.
But Kerala’s prospects were held together by an injured Baba Aparajith and MD Nidheesh, who saw through an extended final phase of play, where Madhya Pradesh had nearly all its fielders under their noses. The final few overs saw the home dug-out come alive, culminating in wild applause once the draw was sealed.
In the next round, Kerala will host Bihar, while Madhya Pradesh welcomes Uttar Pradesh.
