Star-studded Karnataka stumbles as J&K script historic Ranji final push

Despite international stars in their lineup, Karnataka suffered a major setback against a determined Jammu & Kashmir side, who produced a commanding performance in their maiden Ranji Trophy final appearance.

Jammu & Kashmir delivered a sensational performance against a star-packed Karnataka side in the ongoing Ranji Trophy clash, putting the favourites under serious pressure and marking a historic moment in their maiden final appearance.

Despite boasting experienced international batters such as KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, and Devdutt Padikkal, Karnataka failed to dominate. Their first innings ended at 212/5 in 64.4 overs, with Mayank Agarwal standing tall with an unbeaten 126 off 195 balls. Support came from Shreyas Gopal (27) and Kruthik Krishna (23*), while the rest of the batting line-up struggled to convert starts.

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Earlier, Jammu & Kashmir had posted a massive 584 in their first innings, built on outstanding centuries from Shubham Pundir (121) and solid contributions from Yawer Hassan (88), Paras Dogra (70), Abdul Samad (61), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (70), and Sahil Lotra (72). Their batting depth and patience completely wore down the Karnataka bowling attack.

Prasidh Krishna emerged as the standout bowler for Karnataka, claiming five wickets, while Vijaykumar Vyshak, Vidyadhar Patil, and Shreyas Gopal chipped in with a wicket each. However, the bowlers found it difficult to contain Jammu & Kashmir’s strong batting order.

In reply, Karnataka lost early wickets, including KL Rahul for 13 and skipper Devdutt Padikkal for 11, exposing the middle order to sustained pressure. Karun Nair and Ravichandran Smaran were dismissed cheaply, underlining Karnataka’s batting woes despite their experienced lineup.

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Jammu & Kashmir’s disciplined bowling attack, led by Aquib Nabi, Sunil Kumar, and Yudhvir Singh, ensured tight control, keeping Karnataka under constant pressure.

With this dominant display, Jammu & Kashmir have strengthened their position and continued their dream run in their first-ever Ranji Trophy final, while Karnataka now face an uphill battle despite their star power.