Nagpur:  Kerala bowlers struck early to leave two-time champions Vidarbha at 81 for three at lunch on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy final on Wednesday.

Frontline pacer MD Nidheesh claimed two wickets, while his young new-ball partner Eden Apple Tom took one, leaving Vidarbha in early trouble at 24 for three.

However, Danish Malewar (38 not out) and Karun Nair (24 not out) steadied the innings with a 57-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Nidheesh made the early breakthrough, trapping Parth Rekhade in front in the second delivery of the match. The dismissal came after Kerala captain Sachin Baby successfully opted for a review, following the on-field umpire's rejection of their loud lbw appeal.

Darshan Nalkande gave away his wicket to Nidheesh after a poor shot selection, while Eden Apple Tom provided Kerala with a crucial breakthrough by having Dhruv Shorey (16) caught behind. Shorey was undone by a delivery that angled in but moved away after pitching.

Brief scores:

Kerala 1st innings: 81/3 in 32 overs (Danish Malewar 38*, Karun Nair 24*; MD Nidheesh 2/11).

Led by captain Sachin Baby, Kerala's rise to the final has been marked by grit and resilience. Their path to this moment has been nothing short of dramatic. After narrowly defeating Jammu and Kashmir by one run in the quarterfinals and edging past Gujarat by a mere two runs in the semifinals, Kerala has proved they can perform under pressure. These thrilling victories were built on dogged batting displays, particularly by Salman Nizar (607 runs at an average of 86.71) and Mohammed Azharuddeen (601 runs, including a match-winning 177 in the semifinal).

Despite being newcomers in the final, Kerala’s determination has been unmatched. Azharuddeen's innings of 177 off 341 balls against Gujarat in the semifinal is already etched in Kerala's cricketing history. His knock not only secured a stunning victory but also reinforced the team's reputation for fighting until the very end.

On the bowling front, Kerala has relied heavily on the experience of Jalaj Saxena, who has claimed 38 wickets this season, while former Vidarbha player Aditya Sarwate has provided strong support with 30 wickets.

On the other hand, Vidarbha enters the final with a stellar season behind them, having won eight out of their nine matches and drawn one. The Akshay Wadkar-led side has been clinical in every phase of the game.

Vidarbha’s lineup includes standout performers like Yash Rathod (933 runs at 58.13) and Harsh Dubey, who has claimed 66 wickets and is on the verge of breaking the Ranji Trophy record for most wickets in a season.

Vidarbha’s solid all-around performance, both in batting and bowling, makes them the favourites. The squad's depth, with players like Karun Nair and Danish Malewar contributing heavily with the bat, and Harsh Dubey leading the attack, will pose a serious challenge for Kerala.

Teams:

Vidarbha: Akshay Wadkar (c&wk), Yash Rathod, Karun Nair, Harsh Dubey, Yash Kadam, Danish Malewar, Dhruv Shorey, and others.

Kerala: Sachin Baby (c), Mohammed Azharuddeen, Salman Nizar, Jalaj Saxena, Aditya Sarwate, Basil Thampi, and others.