As the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy began with full excitement, the opening match between Maharashtra and Kerala ended on a thrilling note. The cricket world witnessed Kerala’s magnificent performance against the two-time champions, Maharashtra. They finished their innings at 179 for 7 in 59 overs. Early collapses put them under pressure, but Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jalaj Saxena played crucial roles in bringing the team back into the contest. The match was ended early due to rain.
Kerala’s Fiery Start: Maharashtra Collapses to 5/4 in Early Overs
In the first match of the Ranji Trophy between Maharashtra and Kerala, Kerala won the toss and chose to field. Batting first, Maharashtra started the innings with a top-order collapse. Before taking runs, Kerala took 3 important wickets. The batters trembled in front of Kerala’s pacers. Within 7 balls, they lost 3 crucial wickets. They were 5 runs for 4 wickets in 3.2 overs. Top batters like Prithvi Shaw, Arshin Kulkarni, Siddhesh Veer, and captain Ankit Bawne were out for ducks. Maharashtra clearly failed to build a strong partnership against Kerala from the early overs. Opening batter Prithvi Shaw was dismissed due to lbw by Kerala's pacer MD Nidheesh. He couldn’t make a good start in his debut match for the team. For Kerala, Nidheesh claimed 4 wickets for 42 runs, and Nedumankuzhy Basil added 2 wickets for 44.
Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jalaj Saxena Lead Maharashtra’s Strong Recovery
After the collapse of the top order, Maharashtra were 16/5 and the middle-order batters took responsibility to get a competitive total. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jalaj Saxena put on a 122-run partnership for the sixth wicket. As a former player of Kerala, Saxena stood strongly against Kerala by scoring 49 runs, but he had to surrender to MD Nidheesh, which broke the partnership. After the dismissal of Saxena, Gaikwad played an irrepressible knock alone, securing 91 runs off 151 balls, which put Maharashtra in a solid position. Kerala’s pacer Eden Apple Tom dismissed him, and Maharashtra ended the innings at 179 for 7 in 59 overs.
What Went Wrong for Maharashtra?
Maharashtra has proven its dominance in the Ranji Trophy. But yesterday, the cricket world watched the worst performance of them. The team went wrong from the start of the innings. Losing the top order wickets put them under pressure. After the collapse, they didn’t make a strong partnership. Kerala’s bowlers applied early pressure to the team, and Maharashtra batters couldn’t make a stand in the field. Even though Gaikwad and Saxena displayed an excellent performance, the early slump put them in a disappointing situation. If they continue performing like this, it will be more difficult for them to win the match.