Blog - MP, Vidarbha and J&K register convincing wins; Bengal bag bonus point

The final day of Round 4 of this season's Ranji Trophy goes right down to the wire. Joining the list of victors today, Madhya Pradesh maintained the excitement in the action. First it was Bengal who got a bonus-point win against Railways, then it was J&K's turn to register victory over Delhi, that followed Manipur beating Mizoram but not without being 8 for 5, and Vidarbha trumped Odisha by 100 runs.

Here's the points table after four rounds of the competition, as the Ranji Trophy heads into the final set of fixtures before the break for limited-overs cricket. Join us for the fifth round from November 16 onwards.

Madhya Pradesh started the final day at 21 for 1 in pursuit of 328. It was up and down in the chase, as momentum got transferred from one way to another. Goa kept striking to check Madhya Pradesh - the highest partnership for the first seven wickets was 70 - but Saransh Jain held one end up like a rock. Arriving at 176 for 4, he finished undefeated at 82*, as his unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 65 with Arshad Khan turned it around. Captain Shubham Sharma got 72 for Madhya Pradesh, and Goa will feel they missed out despite being 97 ahead in the first innings. But the win continues Madhya Pradesh's rise up the ranks - especially since 2022, when they won their first Ranji title - as so often, a hero emerges and they find a way to win.

At lunch on day four, Saurashtra had Kerala at 37 for 2 after setting the hosts 330 to win. Then came some rain, and plenty of fight from the hosts. Sachin Baby and concussion sub Abhishek Nair added 59 for the third wicket. Nair fell for 19, but Baby then found company in Ahammed Imran to bat staunchly. That saves Kerala from a defeat, and more importantly, hands them three points after a first-innings lead. The star of the show, however, was their quick MD Nidheesh with ten wickets in the game.

Madhya Pradesh were 263 for 7 in pursuit of 328 against Goa, but Saransh Jain has clung on like he would never give up. No. 9 Mohammad Arshad Khan has so far helped Saransh add 43 for the eighth wicket, and Madhya Pradesh look set to complete the chase and bag the three points. MP 306 for 7, and only 22 runs away from a win in Porvorim. Saransh is unbeaten on 72.

Assam had fallen a massive 364 runs behind in Agartala, and Tripura sniffed an innings victory. That would have also given the hosts a bonus point. But despite being 53 for 3 at one stage, Assam fight their way back to not only deny Tripura an innings win but also themselves get a point. Denish Das (103) and Sibsankar Roy (101*) lead the rearguard for the visitors. Even so, Assam are last in Group C while Tripura are sixth.

Rajasthan were set 340 to win by Hyderabad this morning, and the visitors finished on 207 before the game was drawn. Partnerships of 79 and 94 for the first two wickets gave Rajasthan hope of hunting the target down, but in the end, it proved a bridge too far. Salman Khan top-scored with 79 in the chase, while Mahipal Lomror got four wickets in the second innings. The Player of the Match, though, is Hyderabad's Rahul Radesh for his first-innings 129.

A full six points for Vidarbha against Odisha in Nagpur. Left-arm spinner Parth Rekhade grabs his first five-for in this format of the game while Praful Hinge takes three wickets as Vidarbha come from behind to win. They saw Odisha's opening batters add 100, but a middle- and lower-order collapse of 5 for 39 left little scope for the visitors to chase 345 down. Dhruv Shorey is the Player of the Match for his twin hundreds in the match - 144 and 101.

Madhya Pradesh, in pursuit of 328 against Goa, lost their way for a while. Shubham Sharma departed for 72 to leave his side 221 for 5. But the experienced Saransh Jain is still at the crease, and MP have all hopes from him. Saransh is on 40, and MP are 249 for 5 in 72 overs - another 79 away from a win. Just about an hour's play remains in Porvorim, you'd think. If the light holds and there are enough overs to play with, Saransh could be key for MP in hunting 328 down.

Bihar were 185 for 5 at one stage in the second innings, and with a lead of only 21. Sikkim threatened to bowl the visitors out cheaply and take the win, but Bihar found a way out through Bipin Saurabh (100*), Suraj Kashyap (60*) and Kumar Rajnish (52). First, Rajnish and Saurabh added 75 for the sixth wicket, and then Saurabh and Kashyap had an unbeaten 132-run stand for the seventh. That is now four draws in a row for Sikkim, who are fifth on the Plate Group points table. Bihar, though, are third.

With not much of scheduled play left between Tripura and Assam - that being the north east of the country means play started earlier than usual - Tripura are looking to push for an innings win in Agartala. Assam are 311 for 7, another 53 runs behind while following on. Sibsankar Roy is leading the fight for them with a composed half-century, while Mukhtar Hussain falls late in the day. Tripura need quick wickets, and perhaps a miracle to get that bonus point out of an innings win.

Karnataka take three points while Maharashtra get one after they decide to shake hands in Pune. Karnataka kept batting deep into day four, and a draw looked certain once time started running out. Mayank Agarwal (103) and Abhinav Manohar (95) starred in the second innings, as Karnataka seemed happy to bag the three points after a crucial first-innings lead of 13 runs. The result leaves Karnataka on top of the Group B points table, while Maharashtra are third.

Odisha were 164 for 2 halfway into the 57th over while chasing a challenging 345 against Vidarbha on the final day. Nearly six overs later, they lose 4 for 31 to find themselves 195 for 6. Parth Rekhade has three of the six wickets to fall, while Praful Hinge has two. Odisha's entire top four get starts but fail to convert - everyone got at least 27 but none more than 65 - as Vidarbha sense victory. Hang on, Rekhade bags his fourth as Rajesh Mohanty falls. Odisha lose 5 for 39 to be 203 for 7 midway into the 70th over.

At drinks in the second session, MP are 184 for 4, and need another 144 runs to beat Goa in Porvorim. Captain Shubham Sharma is unbeaten on 59, and has allrounder Saransh Jain for company. This partnership will be key if MP are to hunt 328 down after falling 97 runs behind in the first innings. Shubham and Saransh have the experience to go big and dig deep, even as the rest of the batting isn't all that dependable.

Jharkhand had taken a 215-run first-innings lead against Baroda, but chose not to enforce the follow-on. Today, on the final afternoon, they are 165 for 3 in 54 overs, going at just above three runs an over, and continuing to bat despite an overall lead of 380. Opening batter Shikhar Mohan is unbeaten on a patient 72, while Virat Singh is much quicker on 41*. Only one result looks likely with just about two sessions left in the game, and Jharkhand seem content to take the three points after the lead.

The declaration doesn't come even after lunch as Karnataka continue batting in their second innings against Maharashtra in Pune. Abhinav Manohar, who was past his second first-class fifty before the break, keeps ticking after resumption, with Shreyas Gopal at the other end. Karnataka 269 for 6 in 94 overs, with an overall lead of 282 runs. Less than two sessions of play are left, and the declaration is still due. Maybe we're heading towards a draw.

At lunch in Mangalapuram, hosts Kerala are 37 for 2 after Saurashtra set them 330 to win. As if the two early wickets weren't enough, their opening batter Archana Akarsh retired hurt. For Saurashtra, it was Dharmendrasinh Jadeja and Yuvrajsinh Dodiya who struck once each before the break. Earlier in the day, Saurashtra had declared at 402 for 8, overturning a 73-run first-innings deficit into a solid position.

In the Plate Group in Anand, Manipur, in pursuit of a meagre 12 against Mizoram, lost half their side at the score of 8. But there was no further embarrassment, no rub-your-eyes moment, and no records shattered, as t hey chased the target down without any more drama. What should have been a bonus-point win with all ten wickets in hand turns out to be a hard-fought, nervous victory. Manipur are now on top of the points table, with 17 points in four games. Mizoram, meanwhile, are fourth.

It has taken them their share of time, but Jammu and Kashmir are spreading their wings. Year after year, they are upsetting stronger positions. Season after season, there's a new star rising from the state. This time, J&K have beaten Delhi for the first time ever in 65 years of playing them, after crossing the line against Rajasthan (this season), Baroda, Mumbai and Vidarbha, among others, in the previous years. It's safe to say that Jammu and Kashmir beating highly-rated sides isn't an upset anymore; rather, it has become an entirely expected result given their talent and hunger.

Today's win comes after Qamran Iqbal smashes a career-best 133* in a chase of 179. But the win was set up by that now familiar hero Auqib Nabi (5 for 35 in the first innings), the veteran captain Paras Dogra (106), an IPL name in Abdul Samad (86), and the little-known Vanshaj Sharma (6 for 68).

It is J&K batter Qamran Iqbal's his maiden first-class century, and this knock is set to take his side to a famous win against Delhi. J&K are 158 for 3, and only another 21 runs away from their target to beat Delhi. Out of that, Iqbal alone has 122 runs; the next best is by a J&K batter in the chase is 8.

Career-best bowling figures of 7 for 56 from Shahbaz Ahmed spins Railways to an innings defeat. That hands Bengal a bonus point, and a total of seven from this match. This comes after they fell behind in their last game, against Tripura, and managed just one point. But against Railways, it barely takes Bengal an hour on the final day to wrap up a win, with Shahbaz nabbing all five wickets to fall today. What is really surprising, though, is the fact that Shahbaz misses out on the Player-of-the-Match honours despite an attacking 86 with the bat, and eight wickets in the match. Instead, it is Anustup Majumdar, for his pacy 135, who wins that award.

Odisha, while chasing 345 against Vidarbha, start with a solid century opening stand. Swastik Samal and Gaurav Choudhary add 100, but Parth Rekhade breaks that stand. Choudhary departs for a quick 47, as the 24th over ends with Odisha at 100 for 1. Samal and new batter Sandeep Pattanaik, though, slow down. They have added only three runs in three overs. Odisha 103 for 1, and need another 242 runs to win.

Arjun Tendulkar bags Himanshu Mantri as Goa get their second wicket against Madhya Pradesh. The visitors are in pursuit of 328 in Porvorim, but lost a set batter in Mantri for 22. With that wicket, MP were 49 for 2, but Harsh Gawli and captain Shubham Sharma have now added 26. MP 75 for 2, and another 279 runs away from a win. This could go all the way.

Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed takes three wickets on the fourth morning, thus keeping Bengal on track for an innings win - and with that, a bonus point - against Railways in Surat. Railways began the day at 90 for 5 - a deficit of 162 runs after being asked to follow-on - and now find themselves at 111 for 8, and another 141 behind. With all three wickets today going to Shahbaz, he has completed his sixth first-class five-for. That comes after a match-turning 86 with the bat in the first innings.

Kerala's quick MD Nidheesh dismisses Saurashtra's Ansh Gosai to complete ten wickets for the match. That is fourth in the second innings, and they come after his figures of 6 for 20 in the first. Gosai's is the third wicket Saurashtra lose this morning, as they push for quick runs to allow themselves time to take ten wickets by the end of the day. For now, though, Saurashtra are 378 for 8, with a lead of 305 runs.

There are cracks on the pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, and that will give the Delhi bowlers some help. They are defending 179 against Jammu and Kashmir, who have started day four confidently. The two J&K batters have ticked the singles, while Qamran Iqbal had some luck going his way when a ball from Simarjeet Singh stayed low and missed the leg stump. Twenty overs into their chase, J&K are 80 for 2, another 99 runs away from a win.

We had as many as seven outright results within the third day itself. Twelve other games are still ongoing, and enter the final day of the third round of fixtures with promise of plenty of action and drama. When will Saurashtra declare and push for a win against Kerala? Can J&K continue their rise and beat Delhi? Can Odisha surprise Vidarbha by chasing down 345? Will MP beat Goa by reaching their target of 328? These questions, and many others, will be answered as we roll along.

Hemant Brar reports from Chandigarh:

"Uday Saharan has led by example, scoring an unbeaten 117, to take Punjab to their first win of the season. He had led India to the final of the 2024 U-19 World Cup, so it's a bit of a surprise that he made his domestic debut only this season. But he has shown the same temperament here too. With Punjab chasing 227 on a pitch where neither team crossed 200 in the first three innings of the match, Saharan looked untroubled.

"When he reached his fifty, there was hardly a celebration, and more of an acknowledgement that the job was only half done. So he put his head down and carried on in his typical unhurried manner.

"Cramps was the only thing that gave him discomfort. He was on 73, and the target still 66 runs away, when he went down in pain. For a moment, it looked like he would retire hurt. The whole support staff rushed to him and made sure he was back on his feet and ready to resume.

"He found an able ally in debutant Jashanpreet Singh, with whom he added 139 in an unbroken third-wicket stand. Saharan not only brought up his hundred but also, and fittingly, hit the winning runs."

Delhi were cruising at 267 for 5, with Anuj Rawat and Ayush Doseja at the crease. But a sensational collapse has seen them lose their last five wickets for just 10 runs.

Anuj Rawat stepped out looking for a big shot, but the ball took the inside edge of his bat and lobbed up to short leg. Hrithik Shokeen tried to loft a full delivery straight over the bowler’s head but chipped one back to the bowler. Ayush Doseja, who had been batting solidly, stepped out to slog but was bowled.

Left arm spinner Vanshaj Sharma claimed his third five-for in just his fourth match and sixth innings. J&K have a target of 178 runs with one hour and one whole day remaining.

Mulani, Musheer star as Mumbai beat Himachal.

Suchith 11-for helps Uttarakhand consign Haryana to first defeat.

Andhra's lower-order fight helps beat TN.

Calm Saharan hits ton to take Punjab home against Chandigarh.

Mavi the hero as UP see off Nagaland.

Aditya Sarwate stars as Chhattisgarh beat Puducherry for first win.

Jayswal, Desai help Gujarat beat Services.

Mumbai have beaten Himachal by a bonus point to take the top spot in Group D, for now. This is their second win in four matches.

Resuming on 94 for 7 overnight, Himachal resisted in the first session when Nikhil Gangta and Vaibhav Arora put together a 77-run stand for the ninth wicket to frustrate the bowlers. Once Musheer Khan broke that partnership, it was all one-way traffic.

Made to follow-on, Himachal lasted all of 49.1 overs in the second innings as they were shot out for 139. Shams Mulani, the marathon man of Mumbai cricket, once again shone bright with another five-for.

Half-centuries from Abhishek Reddy and Karan Shinde puts Andhra in sight of a big win over TN

Mumbai are coasting towards a bonus-point win after making Himachal follow-on

Aditya Sarwate has put Chhattisgarh in sight of full points - their first win - against Puducherry

Karn Sharma to the fore as UP eye bonus-point win over Nagaland

After starting this domestic season with a double-century against East Zone in the Duleep Trophy, Ayush Badoni hit five half-centuries, without being able to convert.

A similar has played out in the fourth round of the Ranji Trophy against J&K at Kotla. n the first innings, he looked well set for a century but got out for 64 while trying to slog.

In the second innings too, Badoni looked in great touch, scoring a quickfire 72, batting with remarkable fluency in a quest to give Delhi a strong lead they could defend in the fourth innings,But once again, he has fallen while trying to attempt a slog sweep that has gone straight to Vivrant Sharma, who has taken a stunning catch at deep square leg.

Two balls later, left-arm spinner Vanshaj Sharma struck again, dismissing Sumit Mathur, leaving Delhi at 246 for 5, with their lead just nearing 150 runs.

Earlier, Ayush Dosiya, who scored 65 in the first innings, completed his half-century again and now carries the responsibility of extending Delhi’s lead beyond 250 to give them a fighting chance on the fourth day against J&k.

Chasing 227, they're halfway there - 114/2.

This is only his fourth first-class game. He led India to the U-19 World Cup final last year. And two games in, he's been handed Punjab's top job. He has shown so far that captaincy hasn't hampered his batting, but these are early days. He made 126 and 16 last week against Goa. Here's a great chance to add another century into his kitty, this time in a match-winning cause.

They were bowled out for 160, and then conceded a 73-run lead to Kerala.

Then, in the second innings, Saurashtra slumped to 69 for 3, far from a comfortable position to be in. But their experienced duo, Chirag Jani and Aarpit Vasavada, have dug in to hit half-centuries and lead their revival.

Saurashtra are winless in three games and desperately need full points here to remain in contention for the knockouts from Group B.

They're currently ahead by 120 with seven wickets still in hand. It remains to be seen at what point will these two look to accelerate.

From 190 for 7, TN's lower order has caved in and have been bowled out for 195. T Vijay, the off spinner, picked up two wickets including that of the set Andre Siddarth. Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar cleaned up Sonu Yadav. Set 196 for victory, Andhra have started well. They're 40/0 in the fifth over.

Here's Daya Sagar with an update from Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi:

J&K have found wickets hard to come by after taking a 99-run lead.

"Delhi openers Sanat Sangwan and Arpit Rana have started steadily, displaying oodles of patience and awareness - respecting the good deliveries, leaving well outside off stump, and punishing the loose ones.

"Sangwan was given a reprieve on 30 when Wadhwan, the wicketkeeper, dropped a catch off red-hot Auqib Nabi, but couldn't capitalise. He added just four more before being caught in the slips off left-arm spinner Vanshaj Sharma.

In the very next over, offspinner Sahil Lothra produced a beauty to clean up Rana - pitching on middle and turning away sharply to knock back the off stump."

Despite losing both openers, Delhi have wiped out the deficit. All eyes are now on Yash Dhull and captain Ayush Badoni to take responsibility and steady the innings from here.

And with that, Daya is off to enjoy some lunch.

Having been bowled out for 187 - Nikhil Gangta remained unbeaten on 64 - Himachal have gotten off to the worst possible start. They're 14 for 2 in the second innings, with Shardul Thakur and Tushar Deshpande striking. They still trail Mumbai by 245 runs.

Elsewhere, from a precarious 130 for 6, Tamil Nadu's lower order have led a rally. Andre Siddarth and Sonu Yadav have put on 45 valuable runs and counting to lift Tamil Nadu to 175 for 7 at lunch. They're ahead by 180 and in a great position to try and push for an outright win in what has been a poor season so far.

Maybe this could herald a turnaround for them.

He's picked up the two massive wickets of Vicky Ostwal and Jalaj Saxena, for a valiant 72, as Maharashtra have been bowled out for 300, to concede a slender 13-run lead.

Ramakrishna Ghosh, the fast bowler, was the last man out - run out for 36 courtesy Abhinav Manohar.

Kaverappa has been in good form. After missing the season opener to attend a job interview (sports quota recruitment), he returned to pick up a five-for against Goa. In the previous round, he picked up four wickets in the first innings.

Kaverappa is among BCCI's targeted pool of fast bowlers. He's been riddled with a few injuries lately, but this will be a big season for him to make the leap towards India A and beyond.

Nagaland have been bowled out for 117; UP have enforced the follow-on in Kanpur.

Punjab will need 227 to beat cross-town rivals Chandigarh; both sides searching for their first win.

A massive first-innings lead beckoned when Mumbai had Himachal on the ropes at 79 for 7 after posting 446. Since then, Nikhil Gangta and Vaibhav Arora have led an incredible fightback. The ninth-wicket pair have put on an unbroken 70-run stand to bring the deficit down to 269. Still a long, long way off for Himachal - they still need 119 to avoid the follow-on.

Mumbai very much the favourites still, but they'll want to pick up the two remaining wickets as quickly as possible, before deciding if they want to enforce the follow-on.

Gangta is unbeaten on 60, Vaibhav on 47.

It's all over in Lahli, where Uttarakhand have beaten Haryana by an innings and 28 runs to secure a bonus-point victory.

Haryana have been bowled out for 148 in the second innings, with Dheeru Singh top scoring with 71. J Suchith, the left-arm spinner, finishes with match haul of 11 for 83.

A fascinating battle for first-innings points is brewing in Pune.

Karnataka had Maharashtra in all sorts of trouble at 183 for 6 late on Day 2. But an unbeaten 61-run stand between Jalaj Saxena & Vicky Ostwal has kept Maharashtra in the hunt. They trail by just 65.

Karnataka yet to pick up a wicket so far today. Four of the six wickets to fall have been taken by Shreyas Gopal, the leg spinner.

Neeraj Pandey, ESPNcricinfo's Hindi correspondent, reports from Kanpur: "After a blistering maiden first-class century, Mavi has now claimed a five-wicket haul. Nagaland are reeling at 92/8, trailing by 443. Safe to say UP are on their way to their first win this season.

In August, I had an opportunity to sit down with Mavi and talk about all the challenges and pain he has had to endure in recent times. He articulated his struggles and what he did to break out of the rut so wonderfully. You can read the full interview here.

With three wins in three matches, Haryana came into the fourth round high on confidence. A win would've all but sealed their knockouts berth, but they've been given a bit of a reality check by Uttarakhand.

Having conceded a first-innings lead of 176, Haryana are currently 128 for 9 in the second innings, with former Karnataka left-arm spinner J Suchith picking up a five-for in each innings. Dheeru Singh continues to fight, having notched a half-century.

An Uttarakhand win - seems most-likely - will make Group D even more crowded, with all of Haryana, Uttarakhand, Services and Bengal in the race to make the quarter-finals.

It's the moving day of the fourth round of matches. But last night's story was all about Meghalaya's Akash Choudhary, who made history by becoming only the third player in first-class cricket to smash six sixes in an over and scoring the fastest fifty in the format. He did so by hitting an unprecedented eight sixes in a row, en route to his 11-ball fifty.

We're just about getting started at most places, buckle in for another action-packed day.

Six sixes in an over, maiden centuries, record 33rd Ranji ton....there were a number of records and a lot of highlights from the second day of the Ranji Trophy action from around the country. Here's a recap and do join us tomorrow as well:

He was not on the field when play start today. He was warming up on the sidelines for a while. He didn't look 100% when he finally came on, and he dropped a straightforward catch in the deep. But Simarjeet Singh finishes the day with a six-for, swinging the ball around to trouble the J&K batters. Here's Daya Sagar wrapping up from the Kotla:

"The evening session seems to be Simarjeet's favourite time to strike. Yesterday, he took three wickets with the new ball in the final hour of play and today he repeated the magic by picking up two more wickets in the evening session to complete his second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. The Delhi quick, whose career has been plagued by injuries, struggled again this morning and bowled only two overs in the opening hour, forcing Delhi to turn to their spinners. He even dropped a catch of J&K captain Paras Dogra, who later went on to score a hundred. But Simarjeet came back strong, determined to redeem himself. He first trapped Sahil Lotra lbw with a sharp inswinger, then had Auqib Nabi caught behind with his outswinger. Finally, he cleaned up Abid Ali to bring up his sixth wicket, bowling out J&K for 310 runs.

"Since debuting for Delhi in 2018 at the age of 20, he has represented India A, featured intermittently in the IPL, and even came close to the senior India set-up, yet consistency has often eluded him due to fitness setbacks. You can read his pre-season interview here."

First an unbeaten 101 off 87 balls and now Shivam Mavi has struck twice to dent Nagaland. Here's Neeraj Pandey from Kanpur:

"Shivam Mavi has hurt Nagaland with the ball after his heroics with the bat. Striking twice in consecutive overs, he has pushed Nagaland on the back foot. First, he cleaned up Sedezhalie Rupero with a superb inswinger, and then dismissed Hem Chetri, who edged a short-pitched delivery behind. Mavi looked in excellent rhythm, maintaining good pace with precise line and length. After 22 overs, Nagaland are struggling on 69 for 3."

The sun is about to set in Agartala since it's in the far east and Tripura have Assam on the mat there. They first marched along to 602 for 7 with centuries from Hanuma Vihari (156) and Vijay Shankar (150*) before declaring the innings. Assam were soon reduced to 48 for 3 and then 66 for 4 before adding another run by the time it was stumps. They still trail by a massive 535 runs.

Centuries, leads, six sixes in an over - what have we not had this session!

And there's always something happening at DDCA:

This workhorse is going on and on and on! He has been patiently playing against this Delhi attack while Abdul Samad attacked and perished at the other end. He is also closing in on 10,000 runs in Ranji Trophy, and his 33rd century is only second on the overall list behind Wasim Jaffer's 40. Daya Sagar has more:

"After starting his season with a century against Mumbai, Paras Dogra has added yet another ton to his name. Dogra has once again shown why he’s considered one of the most dependable performers in Indian domestic cricket. Despite being given two lifelines earlier in the innings, he has displayed remarkable composure, temperament, patience, and control throughout his knock. Now, his focus will be on steering Jammu & Kashmir towards a commanding lead."

Garry Sobers. Ravi Shastri.

And now Akash Choudhary! This 25-year-old man has created history in the Ranji Trophy fixture between Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh in Surat.

He has smashed six sixes in an over off Limar Dabi in the 126th over of Meghalaya's innings. This is only the second such instance in Ranji Trophy history, after Ravi Shastri did it off Tilak Raj in 1984-85, and only the third overall in first-class cricket. Akash Choudhary brings up his fifty off just 11 balls with the help of eight sixes, making him top this list of fastest recorded fifties in first-class cricket (by balls):

11 balls - Akash Choudhary, Meghalaya vs Arunachal Pradesh, 2025
12 balls - Wayne White, Leicestershire vs Essex, 2012
13 balls - Clive Inman, Leicestershire vs Nottinghamshire, 1965

It's turning out to be a round of maiden centuries! Shivam Mavi is the latest, racing to his century off just 87 balls in the company of Madhav Kaushik. UP declare on 535 for 6 with Kaushik unbeaten on 185, his highest first-class score.

Mavi's highest score in any format until today in senior cricket was 52* in one-dayers. This is only the second time he has crossed 50. Neeraj Pandey chimes in from Green Park:

"Mavi reached his fifty with a six off just 63 balls, after which he accelerated further. His next 50 runs came in only 24 deliveries, featuring five fours and two sixes. After lunch, Uttar Pradesh scored 110 runs in just 14.4 overs, with Mavi contributing the majority of them. He and Kaushik added an unbeaten 141-run partnership for the seventh wicket off 132 balls, with Mavi accounting for 101 of those runs."

Tamil Nadu had been restricted to 182 yesterday and Andhra were in trouble on 63 for 5 and then 100 for 7. No. 4 Shaik Rasheed kept Andhra in the hunt for a lead, scored a valiant half-century, and stitched useful partnerships of 43 for the eighth wicket and 34 for the last wicket before TN's Sandeep Warrier (4 for 53) and Sonu Yadav (2 for 20) ensured Andhra couldn't get ahead.

J&K are about to take a lead too. This was a solid century stand between captain Paras Dogra and Abdul Samad, but Samad gives it away while trying to hit a six. He scored 76 against Rajasthan and now misses out opposite Delhi.

Soon after that, Dogra dispatches a full toss into the sky on the leg side and Simarjeet Singh makes a mess of it at fine leg. Unless the sun was in his eyes, this was a regulation catch in the deep, and Dogra gets another life, this one on 68 after being dropped in the slips early in the day on 8.

Lower-order runs have become a prominent feature of Mumbai's batting in the last few seasons and this round is no different. After Musheer Khan's 112 at the top yesterday, Siddhesh Lad also completed three-figures just before stumps, and today we have seen Akash Anand score 34 before Shams Mulani's half-century just now at No. 8. Tushar Deshpande is also looking set at No. 10 and Mumbai are 424 for 8 against Himachal Pradesh.

Over in Trivandrum, Kerala have taken the lead against Saurashtra (160) and B Aparajith has scored his third fifty in as many matches.

Neeraj Pandey is awake despite having had his lunch in Kanpur:

"Nagaland’s senior fast bowler Ronit More had found the outside edge of Madhav Kaushik’s bat while bowling his 21st over of the match. It seemed like a big breakthrough just after lunch on the second day — but soon it appeared that he had overstepped, and the no-ball gave Kaushik a lifeline. Fifty-plus partnership between Kaushik and Shivam Mavi now. In this partnership Mavi has contributed 35 runs. UP have gone past 450 and Kaushik is on 164*."

On one hand you have 22-year-old Mayank Verma, playing only his fourth first-class match and he is taking Chhattisgarh towards 350 against Pondicherry.

On the other hand we have 34-year-old Sumanta Gupta in his sixth first-class match and he is leading Bengal's lower order against Railways after a century from Anustup Majumdar.

It's lunch time in most of the games, barring the ones in the far east because of the early start there. Let's see how the matches are placed:

The sun is out in Delhi, the visibility looks much better compared to yesterday so allow me to use the cliche that Abdul Samad is seeing the ball like a football. While his captain Paras Dogra has scored a patient half-century, Samad is serving some big hits with hard hands all around the park. He has taken on spin and pace, short balls and full, and is not sparing anyone. Pulls, cuts, drives, reverse sweep, and he and Dogra have brought the deficit down to 78 runs. Daya is keeping an eye at Kotla:

"After a shaky start that saw J&K lose four wickets for just 46 runs, the experienced pair of Dogra and Samad have stabilised the innings. For Delhi, yesterday’s most successful bowler Simarjeet Singh bowled only two overs in the morning. Dogra has used all his experience to frustrate the bowlers, leaving balls outside off with discipline and showing great composure against deliveries aimed at the stumps. He is also punishing the loose deliveries when he is getting room. He has completed his 35th first-class fifty. Don’t forget he has 33 first-class centuries too, 32 in Ranji and one in Duleep Trophy."

He was unbeaten on 100 overnight, he led the Mumbai line-up after Musheer Khan's century yesterday, and Siddhesh Lad's patient knock of 127 comes to an end in hot and sunny conditions in Mumbai. Mumbai look comfortable, having gone past 350 with three wickets to go, and their captain Shardul Thakur has joined Shams Mulani in the middle.

Meanwhile at the MCA Stadium in the outskirts of Pune, Karnataka have slipped from 276 for 5 to 313 all out. They have lost their Nos. 8, 9 and 10 for ducks, and the last wicket to fall was Shreyas Gopal for 71, while Jalaj Saxena finishes with 4 for 94.

Saurashtra had been bowled out for just 160 yesterday and Kerala are looking set to go past that, being 128 for 4. Although Rohan Kunnummal will be disappointed for falling on a brisk 80 off 96, trapped lbw by Chirag Jani.

My colleague from the Hindi team Neeraj Pandey is watching a lot of runs being scored by UP against Nagaland:

"The sun is shining brightly at Green Park, and the first hour of play has come to an end. Uttar Pradesh began the second day on 301 for 1. Aryan Juyal, who had resumed on 118*, started aggressively and played some delightful shots. However, after scoring 22 runs off 33 balls, he was caught for 140.

"At the other end, Madhav Kaushik, who was unbeaten on 120 overnight, played cautiously in the first hour, adding just 13 runs off 31 balls. During this period, UP scored 48 runs in 15 overs while losing one wicket. The pitch appears flat at the moment, offering little to the bowlers, and the conditions remain very favourable for batting. Uttar Pradesh have now crossed the 350-run mark."

If you are a Hindi reader, you could have a look at what all Aryan Juyal said yesterday after his century.

We also have Daya Sagar breathing cautiously in Delhi, where he watched J&K quick Auqib Nabi take five wickets yesterday against Delhi.

Hanuma Vihari was unbeaten on 143 overnight and this morning he has been trapped lbw by 20-year-old quick from Assam Ayushman Malakar for 156. Tripura are still going strong, five down and heading towards 450 with half-centuries from Vijay Shankar and Rana Datta.

Over in Surat, Bengal are taking on the Railways bowlers and have raced past 350. Overnight centurion Anustup Majumdar scored 32 off 21 balls this morning with the help of seven fours before he fell for 135. Sumanta Gupta is going strong after that, having smashed another six fours and a six to power to his half-century.

Bengal are 352 for 6, piling on runs quickly. Also:

Nop, it's not the visibility because of the pollution. As soon as captain Paras Dogra tucks the ball into the leg side, his partner Vivrant Sharma hares across the pitch and nearly comes face to face with Dogra, who took only a step out and then kept saying "no". Vivrant has no chance of making it back as the bails are taken off at the bowler's end. Offspinner Hrithik Shokeen has his tail up now, with a first slip, leg slip and a short leg as he comes around the wicket.

J&K 46 for 4 in reply to Delhi's 211.

Wicketkeeper-batter Rahul Radesh has done it for the hosts in Hyderabad, even though he has lost his overnight batting partner Tanay Thayagarajan. Hyderabad were 295 for 7 overnight and soon after taking them past 300, Radesh has brought up his second first-class hundred. The 22-year-old had scores of 26, 66, 81 and 46 in the first three rounds so he will be chuffed to covert this knock into three-figures.

In Chandigarh, Punjab have lost a wicket early too. After being 71 for 3 overnight in reply to Chandigarh's 173, Punjab have lost No. 5 Ayush Goyal, who has been bowled against the pace of Raj Angad Bawa in the fourth over of the day.

Morning's here! It's day two, it's round 4 and we're here on this Sunday morning to bring you all the coverage of the Ranji Trophy being played across the country. Let's start with the north - Delhi and J&K have taken the field after 13 wickets fell at the Kotla on the first day, of which nine were to pace. The pollution and visibility doesn't look as bad this morning, the sun is baking down, some of the players are wearing full sweaters, and we've got J&K captain Paras Dogra and Vivrant Sharma start the day after J&K were three down last evening. Delhi quick Simarjeet Singh, who took all three last evening, hasn't taken the field yet, he is warming up on the sidelines in his whites, so he could be on soon.

Update at 9.45am: There a lot of black patches on the slip. J&Delhi even create a chance in the removing as Vivrant edges to second slip where Doseja puts down a regulation chance. Have a feeling a lot of wickets are in store today as well.

Uttar Pradesh have Nagaland under the pump in Kanpur. Centuries from Madhav Kaushik (120*) and Aryan Juyal (118*) leave UP at a solid 301 for 1 after a day's play.

Tamil Nadu hit back against Andhra in Visakhapatnam. After being 103 for 9 at one stage, they got to 182, before Trilok Nag bagged an early wicket. Andhra 20 for 1, another 162 runs behind.

Vidarbha vs Odisha in the balance. Dhruv Shorey hits 128* in Nagpur, as the hosts end on 234 for 5 after being 6 for 3 at one stage.

Kumar Kushagra (133*) and Robin Minz (79) propel Jharkhand against Baroda. At stumps, Jharkhand are 327 for 5 after the two batters added 135 runs for the fifth wicket.

Karnataka and Maharashtra share opening-day honours. Mayank Agarwal (80) and R Smaran (54) are the best performers for the visitors in Pune, where Karnataka, from 89 for 3, reach 257 for 5.

MP vs Goa ends with the visitors ahead in Porvorim. Saransh Jain (4 for 72) led the effort with the ball, even as there were middling contributions across Goa's line-up.

Derby between Chandigarh and Punjab ends with both sides fighting hard. Punjab restricted Chandigarh to 173 after Ayush Goyal got four wickets, before Chandigarh left Punjab at 71 for 3.

Kerala ahead against Saurashtra. MD Nidheesh's six-for bowled the visitors out for 160 in Mangalapuram, before Kerala finished at 82 for 2, only another 78 runs behind.

Hanuma Vihari (143*) and Sentu Sarkar (94) star for Tripura against Assam. The hosts post 316 for 4 after a day's play in Agartala, where the two batters added 210 for the fourth wicket.

Hosts Gujarat leave Services eight down. Plenty of batters throw away starts for the visitors, who kept losing wickets regularly, with Siddharth Desai taking three of them. Services 203 for 8.

Anustup Majumdar (103*) and Shahbaz Ahmed (86) rescue Bengal against Railways. Bengal were 61 for 4 in the 37th over, crawling and struggling to put on runs, before they added 134 in quick time. Bengal finish on 273 for 5 in Surat.

Uttarakhand go past Haryana in Rohtak. After J Suchith (5 for 27) and Mayank Mishra (4 for 38) bowled Haryana out for 112, visitors Uttarakhand ended on 126 for 2 - lead of 14 runs.

Chhattisgarh vs Puducherry ends on an equal footing in Raipur. The hosts are 201 for 4, with Sanjeet Desai (69) top-scoring, and Puneet Datey taking two wickets for the visitors.

J&K in trouble against Delhi. Auqib Nabi stands out with 5 for 35 in Delhi, where the hosts are bowled out for 211. In reply, Simarjeet Singh takes three wickets to reduce the visitors to 31 for 3, thus trailing by 180 runs.

Hyderabad and Rajasthan also on equal terms. The hosts ended at 295 for 7 in Hyderabad, with Rahul Radesh (85*) leading the way for them. Aniket Choudhary and Ashok Sharma, meanwhile, got two wickets each for the visitors.

Musheer Khan (112) and Siddhesh Lad (100*) star for Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh. The hosts were 73 for 4 at one stage, before Musheer and Lad added 157 at the BKC Ground. Arpit Guleria took two wickets for Himachal Pradesh.

Sikkim are hosting Bihar in Rangpo, and bowled the visitors out for 265. Sakibul Gani (66) and Ayush Loharuka (63) got half-centuries, but Ankur Malik (5 for 63) restricted Bihar. Sikkim ended at 14 without loss, and 251 runs behind.

Only 65 overs were possible between Manipur and Mizoram in Anand. Ulenyai Khwairakpam scored 90 for Manipur, who got to 201 for 3, with Lalrempuia taking two of those wickets.

Meghalaya dominate Arunachal Pradesh in Surat. Arpit Bhatewara (203*) and Kishan Lyngdoh (118*) add an unbeaten 288 for third wicket, as Meghalaya finish on 386 for 2.

Hanuma Vihari got his second successive century for his new side Tripura, as he followed a 141 against Bengal with 143* against Assam. With the match in the balance when Tripura were 102 for 3 in Agartala, Vihari added 210 with wicketkeeper-batter Sentu Sarkar. Ayushman Malakar broke that partnership for Assam by having Sarkar caught for 94 in what turned out to be the last over of the day. It's stumps in Agartala, with Tripura at 316 for 4 in 84 overs, and with a big advantage.

Tamil Nadu's final pair of P Vidyuth and Sandeep Warrier bat for nearly 33 overs to add 79, the highest partnership of the day for the visitors against Andhra in Visakhapatnam. From 103 for 9 at one stage, Tamil Nadu end on 182 - not a big total, but one which could yet help them fight. It is left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar who picks up his second wicket, and with that, finally provides Andhra with some relief. But the best performer with the ball was left-arm seamer Prithvi Raj, who bagged 4 for 46.

Here's Daya Sagar providing further updates:

"Jammu & Kashmir’s Auqib Nabi, who had already taken 19 wickets this season before facing Delhi today, is once again making the ball talk. With the old ball, Nabi produced a sensational spell that ripped through Delhi’s middle and lower orders.

He first dismissed Anuj Rawat, who edged an outswinger to Abdul Samad at first slip. In his very next over, Nabi struck twice in two balls, removing Hrithik Shokeen and Manan Bhardwaj. Shokeen nicked another outswinger to the wicketkeeper, while debutant Bhardwaj had no answer to Nabi’s lethal inswinging yorker that crashed into his pads.

Chasing a hat-trick, Nabi ended up bowling a full toss, which Simarjit Singh managed to block straight down the pitch. If he had claimed that wicket, it would have been Nabi's second hat-trick this domestic season. In fact, he had picked up four wickets in four balls in the Duleep Trophy for North Zone against East Zone.

Delhi, who were once comfortably placed at 182 for 4, collapsed dramatically to 195 for 8 by tea. The last four wickets fell within just 19 balls and 13 runs, with Nabi accounting for three of them."

Jay Gohil scored 84 - more than half of Saurashtra's total of 160 - in a one-man show for the visitors in Mangalapuram. Saurashtra had only 123 on the board when Gohil was dismissed. Saurashtra were 7 for 3 at one stage, before Gohil and Prerak Mankad added 69. It was Kerala's quick MD Nidheesh who starred with the ball, picking up his eighth first-class five-for and finishing with 6 for 20.

Musheer Khan started the season with scores of 0, 8 and 12. But he got back among the runs in the third match, against Rajasthan, having scored 49 and 63. Well set both times but falling short of a big score, Musheer smashes his first century of the season on Saturday after rescuing Mumbai from 35 for 3 - and then 73 for 4 - against Himachal Pradesh. At tea, Mumbai 217 for 4 in 61 overs, as Musheer's partnership with Siddhesh Lad reaches 144.

Bengal were 61 for 4 against Railways at the start of the 37th over, crawling and struggling to get the runs. New batter Shahbaz Ahmed arrived, and flicked a switch. Even Anustup Majumdar, the No. 5 batter, picked up pace. With 54 overs done, Bengal are 145 for 4, having piled up 84 runs in the last 18 overs. Majumdar is on 50 off 73 balls, while Shahbaz is on 51 in 60 deliveries.

Tamil Nadu were 103 for 9 in the 42nd over, when last batter Sandeep Warrier and No. 9 P Vidyuth joined hands. Eighteen overs later, they are still unbeaten as Tamil Nadu fight back and frustrate Andhra. They are 143 for 9 in 60 overs, with the last pair having added 40, the highest partnership of the innings so far.

Daya Sagar, in Delhi, has more:

"Delhi captain Ayush Badoni once again failed to convert a good start into a big score. After hitting a double century in the Duleep Trophy earlier this season, Badoni has been getting decent starts but has struggled to carry on and play a long innings. Last week, while representing India A against South Africa A, he scored 38 and 34, both times getting set before giving away his wicket.

A similar story unfolded against Jammu & Kashmir on Saturday. After Delhi lost three quick wickets in the first hour, Badoni tried to rebuild the innings along with Ayush Doseja, and went on to complete his half-century. However, soon after the start of the second session, he fell in disappointing fashion, playing across a straight delivery from left-arm spinner Vanshaj Sharma, and getting trapped on the pads.

Even during the first session, when Delhi needed stability, Badoni had attempted a few aerial shots that luckily landed in no man’s land. He also narrowly escaped being run-out once. It was another case of promise shown but not fulfilled, something Badoni will be eager to fix as the season progresses."

Odisha's Rajesh Mohanty and Tapas Das had reduced hosts Vidarbha to 6 for 3. The top three batters fell for 1, 0 and 2. But Dhruv Shorey, at No. 4, was joined by R Samarth, and their partnership has steadied Vidarbha. Shorey gets to his 24th first-class fifty by flicking Das between mid-on and midwicket. Vidarbha 72 for 3 in 40 overs, as Samarth bats time in getting to only 12 off his first 81 balls.

It's Neeraj Pandey reporting from the Green Park Stadium:

"The first session has belonged entirely to Uttar Pradesh, who went into lunch at 117 for no loss after a composed start against Nagaland. Openers Abhishek Goswami and Madhav Kaushik led the charge with half-centuries, displaying excellent temperament and control. While Abhishek was the aggressor, playing his shots with confidence, Madhav provided stability at the other end, anchoring the innings with calm assurance.

Nagaland had a golden opportunity to break through in the tenth over when Ronit More found the outside edge of Kaushik’s bat, but Yugandhar Singh at third slip put down a straightforward catch. Apart from that solitary chance, the bowlers found little assistance from the pitch, which has offered minimal movement or turn so far. In search of early breakthroughs, Nagaland even turned to spin within the first hour, with left-arm spinner Vino Zhimomi sending down three tidy overs."

Bengal were 27 for 3 when they lost Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal for 5. That came after debutant and opening batter Aditya Purohit (6) and stand-in captain Sudip Kumar Gharami (0) also fell early. After all that, senior batter Anustup Majumdar got a life even as Bengal are crawling in Surat.

Sarfaraz Khan and his younger brother Musheer Khan were rebuilding for Mumbai, who were 35 for 3 at one stage. They added 38 runs before Himachal Pradesh's Vaibhav Arora trapped Sarfaraz in front for a patient 16 off 57 balls. Mumbai 73 for 4 at the start of the 27th over, as Sarfaraz's season starts with just 111 runs at an average of 22.20.

Veteran spinner Jalaj Saxena grabs his second wicket, as Maharashtra have Karnataka at 82 for 2 after 23 overs. That brings comeback man and vice-captain Karun Nair at the crease, where he joins his captain Mayank Agarwal. The Karnataka captain has looked steady so far, and set for a good score.

Against Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu were 93 all out in the first innings, and 93 for 5 at one stage in the second.

Against Vidarbha, they were 73 for 3 and 99 for 4 in the first and second innings, respectively.

Against Andhra today, Tamil Nadu find themselves at 46 for 5 after electing to bat in Visakhapatnam.

There's no end to injuries for Rishabh Pant. While on the tour of England, he first hurt his finger while wicketkeeping, and then his foot while batting. The latter injury kept him out of action for a few months, and while playing for India A against South Africa A in Bengaluru today, Pant retires hurt after a blow to the helmet, the elbow and then the box. Shashank Kishore's live blog mentions that Pant's left forearm was strapped after being hit by Tshepo Moreki.

Right-arm medium-pacer MD Nidheesh has left Saurashtra in trouble in Mangalapuram, where Kerala opted to bowl. After bagging Harvik Desai for a duck in the first over, Nidheesh has Chirag Jani for 5 and Arpit Vasavada without scoring back-to-back to end the seventh over. Nidheesh missed out on a hat-trick, but left Saurashtra at 7 for 3. Jay Gohil and Prerak Mankad, though, have started to rebuild, with Saurashtra 35 for 3 in 14 overs.

Vipin Sharma struck for Himachal Pradesh in the second over at the BKC Ground in Mumbai to get Ayush Mhatre for 9 in eight balls. Arpit Guleria then got Ajinkya Rahane for 2 to end the seventh over. Mumbai 26 for 2 in seven overs, with Musheer Khan, who opened the innings, batting at one end.

Anvay Dravid, the son of former India captain and coach of Rahul Dravid, smashed a 37-ball fifty for Team C in the ongoing Under-19 One Day Challenger Trophy yesterday. He ended on 65* in 45 deliveries, as Team C posted 360 in 50 overs, and beat Team B by 198 runs.

Here's Daya Sagar reporting from Delhi:

"Hello and good morning from a pleasant, sunny day here at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The stage is set for another exciting day of cricket as Jammu & Kashmir have won the toss and elected to bowl first against Delhi, hoping to make the most of the morning moisture and the cool breeze.

All eyes will be on Aquib Nabi, who has been in red-hot form with the ball. For Delhi, captain Ayush Badoni returns to lead the team after missing out on the second unofficial Test against South Africa A.

Left-arm spinner Manan Bhardwaj is making his first-class debut for them following two impressive seasons in the Col CK Nayudu Under-23 tournament. Interestingly, it was Bhardwaj who was hit for six consecutive sixes by Priyansh Arya, who had also made his first-class debut earlier this season, during the Delhi Premier League 2024. Arya, though, misses out on this game as he has been selected for the Rising Stars Asia Cup."

No Mohammed Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Abishek Porel for Bengal in Round 4, as they opt to bat against Railways in Surat. Sudip Kumar Gharami is leading Bengal, who have top-order batter Aditya Purohit making his debut in first-class cricket.

While Shami may have been rested after three successive rounds of matches, Easwaran is representing India A against South Africa A in the second unofficial Test in Bengaluru. Porel, meanwhile, has been named in India's squad for the Rising Stars Asia Cup starting on November 14 in Doha.

In Visakhapatnam, it's Andhra hosting Tamil Nadu in a Group A fixture. While Andhra beat Odisha by an innings in round three, Tamil Nadu have started with two losses in their first three games. As a result, Andhra are currently third on the points table, while Tamil Nadu are sixth. The visitors won the toss and opted to bat in Visakhapatnam, as N Jagadeesan and Vimal Khumar look to lay a good platform. After suffering an injury during training and missing the first four-dayer against South Africa A, Jagadeesan has recovered in time for the fourth round of the Ranji Trophy. Shahrukh Khan has been dropped after low returns, with B Sachin, who has recovered after a bout of chickenpox, replacing him.

Further down, in the southern corner of India, Kerala play Saurashtra in Mangalapuram. They are both in the second half of the points table, with neither side having won a single game so far. Saurashtra, though, have five points from three draws compared to Kerala's two points after two draws and a defeat.