Maharashtra is meeting Kerala in the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Round 1 match at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, and all eyes are on star wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson, who has returned for his home team after being sidelined the previous season.
Sanju Samson did not disappoint, scoring a half-century in the first innings while batting at No. 4.
The match began with Maharashtra batting first, scoring 239 runs in the first innings, thanks to a tough knock by Ruturaj Gaikwad for 91 runs and Jalaj Saxena for 49. The duo put up a 122-run partnership on the opening day to drag their team out of serious trouble after they were five down for only 18 runs in the first session, thanks to MD Nidheesh’s excellent opening performance.
Kerala began with Akshay Chandran and Rohan Kunnummal, but the opening combination lasted only 21 balls when the former was dismissed for a duck. Four overs later, experienced batsman Baba Aparajith had to walk the long distance back, making place for Samson. The Trivandrum native wasted no time in getting started, scoring 54 runs off 63 balls. His knock included five fours and a six.
Tilak Varma fails to lead from the front
On the other hand, in Hyderabad’s opening clash against Delhi, skipper Tilak Varma could not continue his form from the Asia Cup 2025. For the unversed, Tilak Varma had become a household name after his blitzkrieg in the Asia Cup finale against Pakistan in Dubai. However, coming to playing the red-ball format, the youngster departed for a silver duck, getting bamboozled off his opposition counterpart Ayush Badoni.
Karun Nair gets fifty on Karnataka comeback
Meanwhile, ace batter Karun Nair returned to play for Karnataka after a three-year gap and impressed everyone with a solid 73-run knock as the visitors batted first in Rajkot against Jaydev Unadkat’s Saurashtra. Devdutt Padikkal, too, batted brilliantly for his 96, but felt short as Dharmendrasinh Jadeja hit the stumps with precision.
India
