Vidarbha vs Kerala Highlights, Ranji Trophy Final 2025 Day 3: Dubey breaks season wicket record; VID gets 37-run lead

Vidarbha vs Kerala Highlights, Ranji Trophy Final 2025 Day 3: Dubey breaks season wicket record; VID gets 37-run lead

Sachin Baby’s inexplicable dismissal proved enough for Vidarbha to take the first-innings lead. But with two days remaining, and with two sides boasting fine spinners, this match need not be all about the lead. The Kerala captain may have some difficulty to sleep tonight. He looked well on course to take Kerala in front, but was out for 98, after battling it out with admirable courage. Then the innings folded up. For once, the tail didn’t wag for Kerala.

– P. K. Ajith Kumar

Four!! Eden looks for a slog-sweep, the top-edge flies over slip and to the third man fence. WICKET!! Another slog sweep attempt, Eden is cleaned up. Vidarbha earns a 37-run lead in the first innings.

Eden Apple Tom b Rekhade 10

STUMPS DAY 3

NP Basil is the last man for Kerala. 41 to get and one wicket left, no point defending balls like they have been for the last hour. Eden is given out LBW and he reviews the decision. Looks like an arm ball, and looks to be going down leg. Wickets missing says ball tracking. Decision reversed. 

Nidheesh dabs one to deep fine for a single against Rekhade. WICKET!! Appeals for lbw against Nidheesh, umpire takes his time but eventually gives him out. Nidheesh reviews. Umpire’s call on hitting and there goes another. 

MD Nidheesh lbw b Dubey 1

Dubey to Eden, inside edges the first ball onto his pads. Eden still looking to defend. 42 runs yet to be chased down. 

Wadkar receiving some treatment on his back. WICKET!! Could that be the final nail? Jalaj attempts a sweep shot but the ball keeps low and goes under the bat on the way to the stumps. 

Jalaj Saxena b Rekhade 28

MD Nidheesh in at 10. Prods forward and defends the first ball back to the bowler. 

Rekhade continues. Jalaj plays out a maiden. Dubey bowls a maiden too. Kerala happy to take its time to inch towards the Vidarbha total, despite having just three wickets in the bag. 

Rekhade to Jalaj, back of a length, defended off the backfoot. Brings him forward for the rest of the over, manages to keep them out. Two singles from the Dubey over. 

More appeals for lbw. Full and seemed to have struck Jalaj in front. Review not taken. Last hour of the day now underway. Match still in the balance. 

Dubey continues. Jalaj opens the bat face but can’t clear short third for a single. Is successful on the second attempt, lead down to 44. 

Big appeals for lbw as Dubey pins Jalaj on the crease. Not given on-field and Wadkar reviews. Clear inside edge on the replays. Dubey pleading his case for another lbw review but Wadkar not interested. 

Rekhade to Eden, pushes a full one to fine leg to pick up another single. Dubey from the other end. Four runs from his over. Nervy moments for Kerala with the team just 48 runs behind now. 

Dubey continues from the other end. Turn and bounce, beats Jalaj’s front foot defence. Full on the stumps, swept to deep fine for a single. Eden Apple Tom in at 9, gets a single to deep fine to get off the mark.

Baby almost cuts one straight to first slip! Falls just short of the fielder. Dabs the next one to point and picks up a single. Full on legstump, swept fine by Jalaj for a single. WICKET!! Sachin Baby looks to slog one out of the ground and get to the milestone but sends it down the throat of deep midwicket. The skipper has a brainfade moment. Can Vidarbha run through the rest of the wickets?

Sachin Baby c Nair b Rekhade 98

Rekhade replaces Thakur. Wadkar going back to spin after the pacer proved slightly expensive. Two slips in place for Jalaj and he defends a full one in their direction. Maiden over again. 

Four!! Tossed up full and wide from Dubey, Sachin drives it through extra cover for a boundary. Slightly shorter, cuts it to third man for a single. Moves to 97. 

Thakur continues. All set for the short ball ploy against Jalaj. Short of a length on the hips, turned to fine leg for a single. Short and wide to Sachin, jumps up and cuts through point for a couple. Four!! Thakur looks to bluff Jalaj by going full, driven through cover for a boundary. 

Dubey continues. Sachin looks for a drive, beats the bat. Maiden over. 

Yash Thakur into the attack. Full outside off to Sachin, driven through covers for a couple. Four!! Thakur goes short, pulled through the front of square for a boundary. Short to Jalaj, mistimes his pull but flies just past short midwicket. 

Harsh Dubey replaces Rekhade. Jalaj drives a full ball through cover, a midfield gives him a single. Lead down to 70 now.

Rekhade to continue after Tea. Full on the stumps, defended to the legside. The spinner finds Jalaj’s outside edge, runs past the lone slip fielder. The double brings up 300 for Kerala.

The captain is keeping Kerala in the game with an outstanding innings. Sachin Baby needs to be there for much of the last session too if Kerala has to put the host under pressure. He has batted all day so far in difficult conditions. After the loss of Aditya Sarwate, Salman Nizar and Mohammed Azharuddeen, the visiting team needs Jalaj Saxena to give Baby company.

– P.K. Ajith Kumar

Harsh to Sachin, slightly wide outside off, opens the bat face to guide it past slip for a couple. A quick third-umpire check for a runout but he’s in comfortably. Two off the over. 

Tea Day 3

Harsh Dubey back for another spell. Sachin rocks onto his back foot and punches one down the ground for one. Jalaj almost edges one to short leg as he prods forward and defends. 

Rekhade back too. Sachin flicks a straight one down to fine leg for a couple. Three from the over. 

Nalkande continues. WICKET!! Big appeal for lbw against Azhar. Umpire gives him out again! Azhar reviews. Umpire’s call on impact and he will have to walk back this time.

Mohammed Azharuddeen lbw b Nalkande 34

Jalaj Saxena in at 8. Gets off the mark with a single and Vidarbha’s lead is down to 99. Four!! Saxena smacks one through the offside one-handed for a boundary. Four!! Bhute bowls one full outside off, Saxena creams the drive through cover for another four. 

Nalkande back into the attack. Sachin pushes one to cover for a single. Two more drives to the offside for a run each. Full on the stumps, flicked to deep square. Six runs from the over. 

Nachiket Bhute from the other end. Azhar pushes a length ball and scampers across for a quick single. Mid off opts not to have a shy at the stumps.

Karnewar switches to left-arm spin against Azhar. Full outside off, punched to long on for a single. Back to off-breaks against Sachin. Bowled down leg and it runs away for four byes. 

50 partnership up between the two batters. Turn for Dubey, pitches on leg stump and turns past the bat and the offstump. 

Harsh Dubey back into the attack replacing Rekhade. Karnewar at the other end has kept it tight but has shown no signs of troubling the batter. Sachin flicks one though the legs of short leg and picks up a single. Dubey takes Azhar’s edge as he looks to defend off the backfoot. Flies past slip and he’ll pick up a couple.

Rekhade to Azhar, full on legstump, defended back to the bowler. Dabbed fine past the slip fielder and Azhar will pick up a couple. Four!! Another late cut past slip and this time Azhar picks up a boundary. Eight runs from the over. 

Karnewar into the attack, replacing Harsh. Maiden over. Two from the Rekhade over. 250 up for Kerala.

A straight one from Rekhade, raps Azhar on the pads. Umpire immediately raises his finger. Azhar reviews. Wickets missing on ball tracking and he survives. 

Four! Length outside offstump, Sachin guides it past slip to the third-man fence for four. Rekhade follows up with a maiden. 

Slightly short from Dubey, Sachin punches off the backfoot to long on for a single. Three singles from the over. 

Rekhade with his 13th. Just a solitary run from the over. No-ball called off the last ball of the over and Sachin defends the extra ball to short midwicket. 

Sachin looks for a paddle sweep against Harsh, doesn’t connect, bounces off the keeper’s helmet and falls in front of slip. 

Rekhade to Azhar, punched to cover for a single. Full outside off to Sachin, pushes to cover for a single. Azhar steps away and creams a cover drive again, long off will cut it off though, just a single. 

Harsh continues, Sachin takes a single after the inside edge trickles to short square leg. Four!! Slightly over pitched, driven through cover for four by Azhar. 

Sachin Baby has been given out lbw on field, but goes up for the review immediately. Inside edge he reckons. He is proven right and the decision is reversed. Punches a short ball off the back foot to cover to pick up a single. 

Azhar goes on the backfoot to defend one that kept low. Turns away from the bat. Arm ball on legstump, flicked fine for a couple. Four!! Overpitched on off, driven through cover for a boundary. Just a couple from Rekhade’s next. 

Mohammed Azharuddeen in at 7. Rekhade continues from the other end. Turn and bounce as Azhar is beaten on his outside edge. Full on offstump, punched to mid off for a single. 

Vidarbha turned the session in its favour with what would prove to be the last ball, with Harsh Dubey removing Salman Nizar, Kerala’s best batter this season. Salman will be ruing his decision not to offer a shot against the ball that turned towards him from outside the off stump. He was given lbw, the review did not help. Add to the wicket of Aditya Sarwate, who battled hard after being promoted to No. 3, Vidarbha’s players should find their lunch tastier. For Kerala, Sachin Baby should convert his captain’s innings into a big captain’s innings.

– P.K. Ajith Kumar

WICKET!! Salman given out lbw on field against Harsh. Immediately sent upstairs by the batter. Did not offer a shot to a wide ball, but it turns in viciously. Three reds and Salman has to go back at the stroke of lunch!

Salman Nizar lbw b Dubey 21

LUNCH Day 3

Two singles from Karnewar’s over. Rekhade continues from the other end. Salman pushes one to mid-on and picks up a single. Four!! Short ball, punched through covers off the backfoot for a boundary. Fifty up for Sachin Baby!

Maiden over from Karnewar. Keeps it outside offstump and Baby ensures he doesn’t get his bat anywhere near it. 

Sachin guides the ball to third man and picks up a couple. Inside edge, but falls safe. Extra bounce and takes Sachin’s edge before ricocheting off this body and lobbing up, the last minute change of direction foxes the keeper too. 

Akshay Karnewar into the attack. Off-spinner against the two lefties at the crease. Full outside off, punched to cover for a single. A quick single after Salman pushes a full one to mid on. 

Parth Rekhade replaces Harsh. His first ball kicks up off the turf as Salman shoulders arms. Salman gets a single to third man. Back of a length, Sachin guides it to third man for a single. 

Four!! Length ball outside off from Nalkande, Sachin punches it through the gap, past mid off and finds the fence. Four!! Short ball outside off, Sachin pulls it through midwicket for a boundary. 200 up for Kerala!!

Sachin punches a short ball from Harsh through point for a double. A single to long on from Sachin to close out the over. 

Four!! Nalkande finds Salman’s edge, but the soft hands ensured the ball went low and through the cordon for a boundary. Full on the pads, steered to deep fine for a single. 

Four!! Salman flicks a straight ball through fine leg for a boundary. A deft touch helped it go very fine. 

Photo: Nirmal Harindran

Darshan Nalkande replaces Thakur. Sachin guides the first ball through third man for a single. Three from the over. 

A single against Harsh brings Vidarbha’s lead under 200. Salman flicks a full ball to deep square for a single. Sachin goes on the backfoot and punches one to deep cover for a couple.

Salman Nizar at 6. Back of a length from Thakur, Sachin punches it to the offside for a single. Four!! Length ball down the legside, Salman helps it on its way to the boundary to get off the mark. Dubey follows up with a maiden over. 

Thakur again. Two singles from the over. 

Harsh continues with two slips and a silly point against Sarwate. WICKET!! Turn and bounce, takes the shoulder of the bat and lobs up for second slip to complete an easy catch. 

Aditya Sarwate c Malewar b Dubey 79

Short ball from Thakur, Sarwate goes for the pull, top edges it but the ball lands safely just out of reach of the diving wicketkeeper. Wadkar receiving some attention after that diving effort. 

Harsh continues. Short ball outside off, but Sarwate mistimes his cut shot, bounces up comfortably to silly point. Umpire goes upstairs for a bump ball but the ball was nowhere near the boot, Sarwate’s inside edge clearly bounced off the ground.

Yash Thakur replaces Harsh Dubey. Four!! Wide outside off stump, Sachin goes after it, the edge flies past the cordon and to the fence. Back of a length on the hip, turned to deep fine for a single. 

Change of ends for Harsh. Full on the stumps, Sarwate looks to drive and gets a thick outside edge that beats both the slips. He will pick up a double. Dropped! A sharp low chance for Malewar at second slip but he can’t hold on.

Harsh with his second over of the day. Short ball, Sachin pulls it to deep extra cover for a single. Appeals for lbw as Bhute fires one down legside. No says the umpire. Rounds out a maiden over. 

Harsh Dubey into the attack. Immediate turn for the left-arm spinner, beats Sarwate’s outside edge. Pushes a full ball to point for a single. 

Bhute continues. Back of a length on the hips, turned legside for a single by Sarwate. 

Thakur brings Sarwate onto the front foot and beats him with a ball that moves away off the surface. Maiden over. 

Sachin opens the face of the bat to guide the ball through third man for a single. Wide four!! Short ball, beats the batter and the keeper’s reach to run away to the fence. 150 up for Kerala!

Full on the pads from Thakur, flicked to the deep for a single by Sarwate. Three singles from the over. 

Nachiket continues from the other end. Sarwate leaves a ball outside off, was very close to offstump though. Two from the over. 

Yash Thakur from the other end. Short ball to Sarwate, ducks under it. Short and wide from Thakur, Sarwate cuts firmly but will get just a single to deep point. A no-ball called after Thakur’s hand dislodges the bails at the non-strikers. 

Bhute beats Sarwate’s attempted drive and falls down in his follow-through. Sarwate treads with caution, plays out a maiden. 

Four!! What a way to start the day! Full outside off, Baby drives through cover for a boundary! Length ball on the pads, turned square for a single. Sarwate gets an inside edge, away from the stumps and he will pick up a single. 

Photo: Nirmal Harindran/ The Hindu

There is something about Aditya Sarwate, Ranji Trophy finals and the VCA Stadium. 

He was the player-of-the-match for Vidarbha in the 2018-19 final here. Six years later, he is playing an innings that could go some way in deciding another final. Except that he is playing against Vidarbha now.

Sarwate, coming in at one-drop for the first time, batted with grit, as well as some flair, to lead Kerala’s reply to Vidarbha’s first innings score of 379. His new side finished the second day at 131 for three — a considerable improvement from 14 for two.

Kerala will want Sarwate to bat for long on the third day. 

– P.K. Ajith Kumar

Read full report: Sarwate haunts Vidarbha with bat after Kerala seamers make merry with ball

Hello and welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy final between Vidarbha and Kerala in the former’s home ground in Nagpur. 

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