Nagpur, Feb 28 (NationPress) On Day 3 of the final against Kerala at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Harsh Dubey, Vidarbha’s exceptional left-arm spinner, etched his name in the annals of Ranji Trophy by becoming the highest wicket-taker in a single season. He bowled out Kerala for 342, giving his team a slight lead of 37 runs.

Dubey reached the remarkable milestone of 69 wickets by dismissing M.D. Nidheesh after Tea, marking his third wicket of the innings. Earlier, he had successfully trapped Aditya Sarwate for 79 and dismissed leading run-scorer Salman Nizar leg-before just before lunch. This achievement surpassed Bihar’s Ashutosh Aman, who had taken 68 wickets in the 2018-19 season, setting a new record with 69 scalps in the 2024-25 edition.

Dubey’s outstanding season has been pivotal for Vidarbha, particularly highlighted by his match-winning performance in the semifinal against Mumbai, where he took seven wickets in the second innings. His remarkable consistency has earned him a spot in the elite group of bowlers, making him the sixth player to surpass 60 wickets in a season.

Moreover, Dubey has also contributed significantly with the bat, accumulating 472 runs in 17 innings, including five half-centuries. This achievement makes him only the fourth player in Ranji history to attain the exceptional all-rounder’s double of over 450 runs and 50 wickets in a single season.

Kerala commenced the day at 131/3, with Sarwate and captain Sachin Baby at the crease. The day started positively for Kerala, as Sarwate and Baby cautiously faced a disciplined Vidarbha bowling attack.

Sarwate’s crucial knock of 79 ended when Dubey had him caught by Danish Malewar at short midwicket. This wicket ignited a middle-order collapse, with Dubey trapping Kerala’s most reliable batter, Salman Nizar, leg-before for 21 just before lunch.

Despite this, Sachin Baby stood firm, forming key partnerships to sustain Kerala’s innings. He added 59 runs with Mohammad Azharuddeen, who was dismissed for 34, trapped lbw by Darshan Nalkande. Baby then built another valuable partnership of 46 runs with Jalaj Saxena, keeping Kerala’s hopes of securing a first-innings lead alive.

Just when Kerala seemed poised to surpass Vidarbha’s total, they faced a significant setback as Baby fell agonizingly short of a century. After battling for 235 balls and hitting 10 boundaries, he edged a delivery from Parth Rekhade to Karun Nair at slip, derailing Kerala’s momentum as they lost their last four wickets for just 18 runs.

Jalaj Saxena added a resilient 28, while Eden Apple Tom (10) and Nidheesh (1) could not provide substantial resistance from the lower order. Kerala’s innings concluded at 342, granting Vidarbha a narrow but crucial lead of 37 runs.

For Vidarbha, the bowlers delivered a collective effort, with Dubey, Nalkande, and Parth Rekhade each claiming three wickets, while Yash Thakur contributed with one. Dubey’s figures of 3/88 not only propelled his team ahead but also cemented his record-breaking season.

Brief scores: Vidarbha 379 all out in 123.1 overs (Danish Malewar 153, Harsh Dubey 12 not out; MD Nidheesh 3-61, Eden Apple Tom 3-102) lead Kerala 342 all out in 125 overs (Sachin Baby 98, Aditya Sarwate 79; Harsh Dubey 3-88, Parth Rekhade 3-65) by 37 runs.