Ranji Trophy: Vidarbha Secures Championship via First-Innings Advantage Against Kerala

Nagpur, March 2 (NationPress) Vidarbha has claimed the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 championship by taking the first-innings lead against Kerala during the final held at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Jamtha on Sunday.

This victory marks Vidarbha's third title, and their first since the consecutive wins in 2018-19. In their second innings, Vidarbha reached 375/9, holding a massive 412-run lead on the final day, prompting both teams to shake hands and conclude the championship.

The decisive factor for Vidarbha was their 37-run first-innings lead, aided by Danish Malewar, who scored 153 runs, and in-form Karun Nair, who contributed 86 runs in the first innings, helping the team recover from a precarious position of 24/3.

On the bowling side, Harsh Dubey, Parth Rekhade, and Darshan Nalkande each took three wickets, limiting Kerala to 342 runs and giving Vidarbha an advantage in the final match, where they posted 379/10 in their first innings.

In their second innings, first-innings stars Danish Malewar and Karun Nair continued to shine. After losing openers Parth Rekhade and Dhruv Shorey quickly at 7/2, they forged a crucial 182-run partnership for the third wicket. Malewar scored 73 runs before departing, while Nair completed his ninth century of the season and second in the final.

Aditya Sarwate eventually dismissed Nair, who scored 135 runs, including two sixes and ten fours. Despite losing three middle-order wickets in rapid succession, Darshan Nalkande and Akshay Karnewar contributed an important 48-run partnership for the eighth wicket. Nalkande finished unbeaten with 51 runs, while Karnewar added 30 runs before being dismissed by Nedumankuzhy Basil.

Malewar was awarded the Player of the Match for his total of 226 runs in the match. Additionally, all-rounder Harsh Dubey received the Player of the Tournament award for accumulating 476 runs and taking 69 wickets, the highest in a single season in the tournament’s history.

"This is a dream-come-true moment. We lost the final last year. Akshay bhai is retiring, making this win significant for him. During the off-season, I focused on my fitness and skills, and this is the outcome. My plan is straightforward: take one game at a time and bowl in the right areas. I see myself as a batting all-rounder; I love batting! The ultimate goal is to play for India, and I won’t complicate it by thinking too far ahead. I’ll start preparing again soon," Dubey mentioned during the post-match presentation.

Reflecting on the season, Vidarbha captain Akshay Wadkar expressed his joy at winning the title after finishing as runners-up last year.

"It was the final day of the season, and everyone put in a lot of effort, leading to this happy moment. After losing the final last year, we prepared diligently even during the monsoon. Each player focused on their improvement. Four Vidarbha batters are among the top ten run-scorers this season. Harsh Dubey is the top wicket-taker. Yash and Danish can change the game at any moment. Yash is the leading run-scorer and contributed significantly during crucial phases. Danish added 215 runs with Nair at a critical time, showcasing their resilience," he said.

"As a captain, lifting the Ranji Trophy has always been my dream, a dream every first-class cricketer shares, and we have realized that dream. We are addressing all aspects and will assess what to improve in the off-season."