Riding high on Salman’s ton and Jalaj’s wily off-spin, Kerala enters Ranji quarters after 6 years!

Thiruvananthapuram: After a gap of six years, Kerala has made its way into the quarterfinals of the Ranji Trophy tournament. Kerala defeated Bihar by an innings and 168 runs to secure a spot in the last eight. Having been bowled out for 64 in their first innings, Bihar was forced to follow on, and despite a better second innings effort, Kerala dismissed them for just 118 runs to claim an innings victory.

Salman Nizar excelled with the bat, scoring 150 runs, while spinner Jalaj Saxena was the standout bowler, taking five wickets in both innings. His performance was critical in dismissing Bihar on both occasions, and he played a key role in Kerala’s victory.

The highlight of the match was Kerala's comprehensive bowling performance. On the second day itself, Kerala managed to bowl Bihar out in both innings, a notable achievement. In total, 21 wickets fell on the day. In the first innings, Bihar's batting collapsed for just 64 runs, with only three batters managing to score in double figures. The same pattern continued in the second innings, with Jalaj Saxena picking up five wickets and Aditya Sarwate contributing with three.

With the bat, apart from Salman Nizar’s stellar century, Akshay Chandran (38), Shoun Roger (59), and Nidheesh (30) provided solid support. When play was halted on the first day, Kerala had scored 302 runs for the loss of nine wickets, with Salman and Vaishakh Chandran (1) at the crease. On the second day, the final wicket partnership added 49 runs, with Salman contributing 39 of those runs. Vaishakh, though scoring just five runs, faced 54 balls to help maintain the team’s stability.

This was Salman Nizar's first century in the Ranji Trophy.

Kerala's star batter Sanju Samson was absent from this match due to his commitments with the Indian national team. Captain Sachin Baby, who bats in the middle order, was dismissed for just four runs. Apart from Shoun Roger, all the other key batters had relatively modest performances, but it was Salman Nizar’s timely innings that rescued Kerala and laid the foundation for their victory.

Having performed excellently in the Elite Group C, which also features strong teams such as Haryana, Karnataka, Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, Kerala now stands at the top of the group. The outcome of the match between Haryana and Karnataka will determine who joins Kerala in the quarterfinals.

Score: Kerala – 351, Bihar – 64 & 118