The 2024–25 Ranji Trophy season has been an exciting competition. One of the most exciting matches currently taking place is the semi-final between Kerala and Gujarat at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
It was a high-scoring affair that lasted until the fifth and final day, when Kerala finally took a two-run lead to secure their first-ever Ranji Trophy final qualification.
Gujarat was undoubtedly the favorite at this location, but they were immediately put to the test as Kerala captain Sachin Baby chose to bat first after winning the toss. At one point during the game, the Gujarat bowlers had the batsmen at 157 for 4, but they managed to score an impressive 457 in the first innings thanks to the strikes of captain Sachin Baby (69 off 195), Salman Nizar (52 off 202), and Mohammed Azharuddeen (177* off 341).
The Gujarat team was on the verge of taking the lead, but the spin combination of Aditya Sarwate and Jalaj Saxena took four wickets to bowl out the team on 455 and secure a lead that could potentially secure their spot in the finals. On paper, this total looked difficult, but Priyank Panchal’s century (148 off 237) and half-centuries from Aarya Desai and Jaymeet Patel kept the Gujarat team in the hunt.
Speaking of the match, the Kerala side is currently at 27-0 after 10.2 overs and will try to bat all day long to finish with a draw and advance to the finals with a lead in the first innings. Currently batting, Rohan Kunnummal and Akshay Chandran hope to convert their beginnings in this innings, something they were unable to achieve in the first.
India
