Ranji Trophy Quarterfinals: The opening day of the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals delivered high-quality red-ball cricket as bowlers dominated proceedings and a few batters stood tall under pressure. Fiery spells from Prasidh Krishna and Shreyas Gopal, along with composed half-centuries from Mayank Agarwal and Ricky Bhui, defined the action on Saturday across two crucial knockout fixtures.
Karnataka vs Mumbai: Bowlers Set the Tone
The much-anticipated Ranji Trophy quarterfinal between Karnataka and Mumbai swung decisively in Karnataka’s favour on day one, thanks to a ruthless bowling performance. Mumbai, one of the most successful teams in Ranji Trophy history, were bundled out for just 120 runs, failing to cope with sustained pace and spin pressure.
Akhil Herwadkar was the lone resistance for Mumbai, scoring a well-crafted 60 runs, while the rest of the batting lineup collapsed cheaply. Star names such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Musheer Khan, Siddesh Lad, and captain Shardul Thakur failed to make meaningful contributions, with none besides Herwadkar crossing the 20-run mark.
Prasidh Krishna led the charge with pace and bounce, while Shreyas Gopal exploited the surface brilliantly. Vidhwath Kaverappa complemented them with disciplined seam bowling.
Mumbai First Innings – Key Batting Performances
| Player | Runs |
|---|---|
| Akhil Herwadkar | 60 |
| Shardul Thakur | 16 |
| Siddesh Lad | 12 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | 5 |
| Musheer Khan | 1 |
Karnataka Bowling Figures
| Bowler | Wickets | Runs |
|---|---|---|
| Shreyas Gopal | 3 | 4 |
| Prasidh Krishna | 3 | 21 |
| Vidhwath Kaverappa | 3 | 38 |
In reply, Karnataka made a solid start to their first innings. Openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal put together a brisk 50-run partnership, providing early momentum. Rahul looked fluent during his stay, striking six boundaries in his 28 off 26 balls, but failed to convert his start.
After skipper Devdutt Padikkal fell for 17, Mayank anchored the innings with a calm and assured half-century. The experienced right-hander remained unbeaten on 54, showcasing control and patience against Mumbai’s attack. Karun Nair provided support at the other end as Karnataka finished the day strongly at 110/2, already holding a vital first-innings advantage.
Bengal vs Andhra Pradesh: Ricky Bhui Holds Firm
In the second Ranji Trophy quarterfinal, Bengal opted to bowl after winning the toss against Andhra Pradesh. The decision produced mixed results as Andhra’s middle order showed resilience.
Former India wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat and young batter Shaik Rasheed laid a solid foundation with confident knocks, while captain Ricky Bhui played a commanding innings under pressure. Bhui’s knock of 83 runs off 174 balls steadied Andhra Pradesh after early wickets and kept the contest alive.
Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with a useful 33, helping Andhra reach 264/6 at stumps. For Bengal, pacers Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep were the standout performers, picking up key wickets to keep their side in contention.
Andhra Pradesh Batting Summary
| Player | Runs |
|---|---|
| Ricky Bhui | 83 |
| Srikar Bharat | 47 |
| Shaik Rasheed | 46 |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | 33 |
Also read: Ranji Trophy Prasidh Krishna Shines as Karnataka Dominate Mumbai on Day One of Quarter-Final Clash
Day 1 Verdict-Ranji Trophy Quarterfinals
The first day of the Ranji Trophy Quarterfinals quarterfinals firmly belonged to Karnataka, while the Bengal vs Andhra Pradesh clash remains finely balanced. With bowlers asserting control and experienced batters stepping up, day two promises even more intense action as teams push for a semifinal berth in India’s premier domestic red-ball tournament.
