Photo via The Hindu

Kerala eyes good start against a strong Jharkhand side

Kerala will look to bounce back from a disappointing fifth-place finish in last season’s Ranji Trophy as they open their campaign against a resurgent Jharkhand side at Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur. The hosts, who reached the quarterfinals in 2024-25, will rely on experienced batters like Sachin Baby and a sharper attack with the return of Jalaj Saxena and Aditya Sarwate, though consistency from younger players such as Rohan Kunnummal and Vishnu Vinod remains a key challenge.

Jharkhand, meanwhile, boasts a strong lineup featuring Shikhar Mohan, Sharandeep Singh, and captain Virat Singh, though they will miss the services of Kumar Kushagra, who is representing India-A against Australia-A. The match takes place at a venue with a storied history, including Sourav Ganguly’s century in 2000 and M.S.

Dhoni’s near-ton six years later, though Kerala will need to focus on their own performance rather than past glories to secure a strong start in the tournament.

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