Ranji Trophy | Karnataka on course for first innings lead but it may not be enough to take it to the knockouts

At the end of another topsy-turvy day, Karnataka finished on 255 for six, in response to Punjab’s 309, at the I.S. Bindra PCA Stadium here on Friday (January 30, 2026).

But to qualify for the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy knock-outs from Elite Group-B, Karnataka (21 points) needs more than just the first-innings lead, for Saurashtra (19) is on course for a big win over Chandigarh, and a result looks increasingly likely in the match involving Madhya Pradesh (22) and Maharashtra (24).

When K.L. Rahul (59, 87b, 9×4) and Mayank Agarwal (46, 64b, 6×4) were batting, the visitors looked very much like the men capable of forcing that result. After pacer Vidyadhar Patil excised the last Punjab wicket in the very first over of the morning, Rahul and Mayank batted with conviction and ease.

There were the odd instances of the pair not picking arm balls from the left-arm spin duo of Harpreet Brar and Emanjot Chahal, but they were mostly comfortable. And it showed in the shots they played — pleasing drives, inch-perfect cuts and fierce straight hits after dancing down the track.

Brilliant efforts

But two moments of brilliance from Punjab sent both batters back. First, Jashanpreet Singh at silly-point latched on to a full-blooded drive from Mayank before Harpreet executed a classic left-armer’s dismissal by uprooting Rahul’s middle-stump.

Post-lunch, Harpreet (four for 101) struck twice in quick succession, having skipper Devdutt Padikkal (9) caught at short-leg — the southpaw’s third straight low score in whites — and trapping R. Smaran (9) leg-before.

K.V. Aneesh, after having done all the hard work (32, 75b, 3×4), fell trying a cross-batted slog to leave Karnataka at 166 for five.

But the seasoned Shreyas Gopal (42 batting, 124b, 3×4) and debutant Kruthik Krishna (28, 83b, 2×4, 1×6) stonewalled to a faultless degree, coming together for 47 runs off 153 balls.

The former then combined for 42 unbroken runs with Vidyadhar, a partnership the eight-time champion would want to grow beyond Punjab’s reach.

The scores: Punjab — 1st innings

Abhijeet Garg c Rahul b Shreyas 81, Prabhsimran Singh c Shikhar b Vidyadhar 5, Uday Saharan c Rahul b Mohsin 44, Jashanpreet Singhc Mohsin b Shreyas 6, Anmolpreet Singhb Shreyas 0, Anmol Malhotra c Kruthik b Vidyadhar 25, Emanjot Singh Chahal c Padikkal b Vidyadhar 83, Ayush Goyal st. Kruthik b Mohsin 23, Harpreet Brar c Kruthik b Vidyadhar 9, Sukhdeep Bajwa b Prasidh 20, Anmoljeet Singh (not out) 0; Extras: (lb-12, w-1): 13; Total (in 92 overs): 309.

Fall of wickets

1-6, 2-108, 3-119, 4-119, 5-168, 6-168, 7-249, 8-272, 9-301.

Karnataka bowling

Prasidh 14-1-58-1, Vidyadhar 16-4-52-4, Shikhar 15-2-54-0, Mohsin 25-0-85-2, Shreyas 22-6-48-3.

Karnataka — 1st innings

K.L. Rahul b Harpreet 59, Mayank Agarwal c Jashanpreet b Emanjot 46, K.V. Aneesh c Prabhsimran b Harpreet 32, Devdutt Padikkal c Jashanpreet b Harpreet 9, R. Smaran lbw b Harpreet 9, Shreyas Gopal (batting) 42, Kruthik Krishna lbw b Bajwa 28, Vidyadhar Patil (batting) 23; Extras: (b-2, lb-5): 7; Total (for six wkts. in 87 overs): 255.

Fall of wickets

1-102, 2-119, 3-137, 4-151, 5-166, 6-213.

Punjab bowling

Goyal 3-1-8-0, Bajwa 10-6-22-1, Harpreet 27-3-101-4, Emanjot 23-6-55-1, Anmoljeet 23-5-55-0, Saharan 1-0-7-0.

Published – January 30, 2026 08:06 pm IST