Hubli, Feb 26 (NationPress) Veteran opener Mayank Agarwal showcased resilience amidst early challenges, steering Karnataka to 144/4 at Tea on Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy final. This came after Jammu and Kashmir claimed three wickets in a destructive post-lunch phase, only for an unbroken 87-run partnership to bring some equilibrium to the match.

Starting the session at 35/1, in response to Jammu and Kashmir's formidable total of 584, Karnataka faced immediate difficulties as the visiting bowlers exploited the favorable conditions. Sunil Kumar made the first breakthrough of the session, dismissing the in-form Devdutt Padikkal with a delivery that caught the edge, tightening Jammu and Kashmir's control over the match.

Auqib Nabi Dar then made a significant impact with a remarkable spell that unsettled Karnataka’s middle order. After already taking out KL Rahul before lunch, he struck twice in quick succession, sending both Karun Nair and Smaran Ravichandran back to the pavilion on consecutive deliveries, leaving Karnataka struggling at 57/4 at the beginning of the second session.

His skill in generating late movement and maintaining tight lines kept the batsmen under relentless pressure, concluding the session with impressive figures of 3-30.

Faced with the threat of total collapse, Mayank responded with a display of calm and authority. Initially cautious against the moving ball, he gradually began to assert his presence, effectively using his footwork to counter the seam and swing, disrupting the bowlers’ tempo. His approach transformed a phase of survival into steady scoring, culminating in a resilient half-century under pressure.

Shreyas Gopal provided crucial support from the other end, demonstrating discipline and sound judgment to neutralize Jammu and Kashmir's attack. The duo rotated the strike wisely and capitalized on loose deliveries, slowly rebuilding Karnataka’s innings following their dramatic fall.

Mayank’s innings gained momentum as he grew more confident, finding boundaries through controlled drives and flicks while maintaining focus against Auqib’s ongoing threat. A moment of tension arose late in the session when he was struck on the thigh and survived a review, but he remained composed, ending the session unbeaten on 86.

The unbroken partnership of 87 runs between Mayank and Shreyas, who is not out on 25, has delivered essential stability to Karnataka after an early onslaught. Nevertheless, they still trail by a significant margin and face the critical task of avoiding the follow-on against a disciplined Jammu and Kashmir attack.

Brief Scores: Karnataka 144/4 (Mayank Agarwal 86*, Shreyas Gopal 25*; Auqib Nabi Dar 3-30) trail Jammu & Kashmir 584/10 (Shubham Pundir 121, Yawer Hassan 88, Sahil Lotra 72, Kanhaiya Wadhawan 70, Paras Dogra 70; Prasidh Krishna 5-98) by 440 runs.