Ranji Trophy | A tussle between Jharkhand’s batting and Uttarakhand’s spin attack

JAMSHEDPUR: Jharkhand will be counting on its collective batting might as it squares off against Uttarakhand in a Ranji Trophy 2025-26 quarterfinal, starting at the Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur on Friday.

The home team, which qualified for the knockouts by topping Elite Group A, boasts five batters with more than 350 runs this Ranji season — Sharandeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Robin Minz, Shikhar Mohan and skipper Virat Singh.

Leading the Jharkhand quintet is opener Mohan. The 20-year-old, playing in his debut domestic campaign, has accumulated 607 runs, scoring two hundreds and three fifties.

Jharkhand’s batting steel, though, will be put to the test by Uttarakhand’s spin attack led by Mayank Mishra.

The 35-year-old left-arm spinner is enjoying his career-best Ranji season, having gathered 44 wickets from just six games at an impressive average of 16.59.

The conditions at the Keenan Stadium will also likely work in Mishra’s favour. Spinners have claimed 45 of the 62 wickets to fall in the two Ranji matches played at this venue this season.

In fact, during Jharkhand’s win against Odisha here last week, its batters had struggled against the left-arm spin of 18-year-old debutant Sayed Tufayl Ahmad, who bagged eight wickets in the game.

Chandela on a roll

On the batting front, Uttarakhand’s prospects will be led by captain Kunal Chandela, who has scored a team-leading 641 runs from seven matches this season.

The 31-year-old scored a match-winning double hundred (207) in his side’s win over Assam in the final group-stage game, a result which secured his side the second spot in Group C.

Chandela and his men will have history on their sights in Jamshedpur as they look to propel Uttarakhand to its first-ever Ranji Trophy semifinal, while Jharkhand will be gunning for its second last-four appearance in the tournament, with the first coming in the 2016-17 season.