Ranji Trophy Final Day 3 : The Ranji Trophy final between Vidarbha and Kerala remains delicately poised after an intense Day 3 at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur. Despite a valiant 98 from Kerala skipper Sachin Baby, his side fell short of Vidarbha’s first-innings total of 379, getting bowled out for 342. With a crucial 37-run lead, Vidarbha has edged ahead in this gripping contest.

Ranji Trophy Final Day 3 Highlights: Sachin Baby’s 98 in Vain as Vidarbha Takes 37-Run Lead

Sachin Baby’s Gritty Knock Falls Short

Kerala resumed their innings on 131/3, with Aditya Sarwate (66*) and Sachin Baby (7*) at the crease. Sarwate extended his knock to 79 off 185 balls before falling to Harsh Dubey, who continued his record-breaking season by claiming three wickets.

Captain Baby, known for his composure under pressure, built vital partnerships, adding 63 runs with Sarwate, 49 with Salman Nizar (21), and 59 with Mohammed Azharuddeen (34). However, his dream of a Ranji Trophy final century ended just two runs short as he attempted an aggressive slog-sweep against Parth Rekhade, only to be caught by Karun Nair at deep midwicket.

Vidarbha Bowlers Dominate with Three-Wicket Hauls

Vidarbha’s bowling unit displayed relentless discipline, with three bowlers—Harsh Dubey (3/88), Darshan Nalkande (3/52), and Parth Rekhade (3/65)—each taking three wickets. Nalkande struck early, removing nightwatchman MD Nidheesh for just one. Dubey then dismissed Nizar LBW and later trapped Nidheesh leg-before to break the Ranji Trophy record for most wickets in a season (69), surpassing Bihar’s Ashutosh Aman’s tally of 68 in 2018-19.

Despite Baby’s efforts, Kerala struggled to push for a lead, managing only 211 runs on Day 3 before their innings folded. Jalaj Saxena (28) and Eden Apple Tom (10) tried to hold the lower order together, but Rekhade’s spin wrapped up the innings, ensuring Vidarbha held a crucial first-innings advantage.

Vidarbha’s Game Plan for Day 4

With a 37-run lead, Vidarbha will now look to extend their advantage and set Kerala a challenging target. The pitch has started offering turn, making Dubey a key weapon in the fourth innings. Kerala, on the other hand, will bank on their pace attack—spearheaded by Eden Apple Tom and NP Basil—to trigger an early collapse and keep their title hopes alive.

Brief Scores:

Vidarbha: 379 in 123.1 overs (Danish Malewar 153, Karun Nair 86; MD Nidheesh 3/61, Eden Apple Tom 3/101)
Kerala: 342 in 125 overs (Sachin Baby 98, Aditya Sarwate 79; Darshan Nalkande 3/52, Harsh Dubey 3/88, Parth Rekhade 3/65)
Vidarbha lead by 37 runs

What’s Next?

Day 4 will be crucial as Vidarbha aims to build on their slender lead, while Kerala will push for quick wickets to stay in the contest. Can Kerala’s bowlers stage a fightback, or will Vidarbha take firm control of the final?