Day 4 of the Ranji Trophy produced a mix of decisive wins and hard‑fought draws across the country. Gujarat, Bengal and Maharashtra completed their respective matches with comfortable margins, while a number of other fixtures concluded without a result, featuring notable individual scores such as Karun Nair’s unbeaten 155 for Karnataka.
Victories for Gujarat, Bengal and Maharashtra
In Ahmedabad, Gujarat wrapped up a straightforward chase against Odisha after a dominant first‑innings performance. Siddharth Desai claimed five wickets, helping to restrict Odisha to 161 in their second innings after they had entered the day at 119 for 4 and held a slender four‑run lead. Arzan Nagwaswalla added three wickets for 33 runs, further dismantling the opposition. Gujarat needed just 47 runs to win and achieved the target in 9.3 overs, securing a ten‑wicket victory and earning a bonus point.
Meanwhile, Bengal opened their Ranji campaign with a win over Delhi in Kolkata. Delhi’s innings, bolstered by a fighting 85 from captain Ayush Badoni, stalled at 277 in the second innings after being 101 for 3 at the start of the day. Bengal’s bowlers – Pradipta Pramanik (three wickets), Aamir Gani and Sumanta Gupta (two each) – kept the pressure on. Chasing a modest 89 runs, Bengal reached the target in 15.3 overs. Ankur Paul contributed 38 runs, and captain Abhimanyu Easwaran remained unbeaten on 34 to see his side through.
In Delhi, Maharashtra delivered a commanding 127‑run win over Services. After a precarious start to their second innings at 66 for 5, Maharashtra were reduced to 102 for 8 before Rajvardhan Hangargekar’s 43 helped the side close at 141. Services, set a target of 248, were bowled out for 120 thanks to Vicky Ostwal’s five‑wicket haul, complemented by Siddhesh Veer (3‑27) and Hitesh Walunj (2‑28). The result gave Maharashtra a comfortable victory margin.
Plate group drama: Manipur’s chase and Sikkim’s resilience
In the Plate group, Manipur edged a three‑wicket win over Mizoram after a tense chase of 228 runs. Pheiroijam Jotin, batting at number seven, anchored the innings with an unbeaten 105. He formed a 114‑run partnership with Johnson Singh, who made 51, after Manipur found themselves 52 for 5 early on. Despite later wickets falling and the side slipping to 185 for 7, Jotin saw the chase home with the support of Rx Rajkumar.
Sikkim’s encounter with Meghalaya also ended in a draw, but Gurinder Singh’s unbeaten century (100 off 160 balls) was the highlight. Starting the day at 44 for 0 in the second innings, Sikkim were still 106 runs behind the target. Singh’s ton, together with a solid 66 from Parth Palawat, allowed Sikkim to hold out and secure a point‑sharing result.
Elite‑group battles end in draws despite big scores
Karnataka’s match against Andhra in Vijayawada concluded as a draw after Karun Nair rescued his side with an unbeaten 155. Karnataka began the fourth day at 176 for 6 and, after a brief wobble, Nair steadied the innings, taking the total to 337 for 9 declared. Andhra, who had a first‑innings lead, were set 194 to win but managed only 104 for 4 before time ran out.
In Srinagar, Madhya Pradesh and the defending champions Jammu & Kashmir also shared points after a hard‑fought draw. Shubham Sharma’s unbeaten 106 powered Madhya Pradesh to a declaration of 249 for 6. Jammu & Kashmir, needing 326 for victory, slumped to 12 for 5 as Avesh Khan and Aryan Pandey each took three wickets. Lower‑order resistance from Auqib Nabi (30*) and Kanhaiya Wadhawan (27*), who returned after a brief retirement, helped J&K reach 88 for 7 before rain and bad light forced the match to a stalemate.
Punjab’s clash with Assam in New Chandigarh saw Punjab take a first‑innings lead and finish at 478 for 6 declared, thanks to centuries from Salil Arora and Emanjot Singh Chahal. Assam, trailing by 105 runs, fought back from 36 for 3, with contributions from Umesh Yadav and Harpreet Brar, before the game ended with Assam at 157 for 6.
Saurashtra’s encounter with Chhattisgarh in Rajkot also ended without a result. After securing a first‑innings lead, Saurashtra declared their second innings at 229 for 1, built on a 151‑run opening partnership between Chirag Jani (127) and Harvik Desai (68). Ravindra Jadeja earned the Player of the Match award for a century and a three‑wicket haul earlier in the game.
In Kerala, a massive first‑innings total from Jharkhand (587) forced the visitors to follow on. Despite the pressure, Aditya Sarwate’s 95 off 135 balls, together with Salman Nizar’s quickfire 43, helped Kerala post 395 in their first innings. They were then bowled out for 60 for 2 in the second innings before the teams agreed to a draw.
Rajasthan’s match against Tamil Nadu concluded similarly. Mahipal Lomror’s aggressive 84 off 170 balls set up a declaration at 192 for 6. Tamil Nadu, needing 282 to win, were 73 for 0 when the game ended, with Sai Sudharsan unbeaten on 26.
Across the board, the day highlighted the depth of talent in Indian domestic cricket. Bowlers such as Siddharth Desai, Vicky Ostwal, Bhargav Bhatt and Mahesh Pithiya produced multiple five‑wicket hauls, while batsmen like Karun Nair, Pheiroijam Jotin and Gurinder Singh posted centuries that kept their sides competitive. The mixture of outright wins and closely contested draws underscores the competitive balance that defines this season’s Ranji Trophy.
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