Photo via The Hindu

Ranji Trophy 2026-27 | Abhishek slams a century but Kerala not yet out of the woods

Kerala’s Abhishek P. Nair delivered a career-defining performance in the Ranji Trophy, smashing a composed 126 off 87 balls to steer his team toward a competitive total of 269 for six against Jharkhand’s first-innings 587.

The young batsman, who made his Ranji debut as a concussion substitute last season, played his first full match in conventional circumstances and anchored Kerala’s innings with a mix of calculated strokes and aggressive flourishes. However, the team’s pursuit of the target remains daunting, with only six wickets in hand and a follow-on looming as a potential threat.

Jharkhand’s bowlers, led by Utkarsh Singh (3/54) and Manishi Singh (1/62), stifled Kerala’s top order after an early flurry, with Rohan Kunnummal’s misjudged loft to long-off proving costly as he was caught by Sushant Mishra’s diving stop. The hosts’ fightback hinged on a sixth-wicket stand between captain Virat Singh and Aditya Singh, both of whom compiled centuries in Jharkhand’s reply, setting up a tense final day at Keenan Stadium where spinners could dictate the outcome.

Up nextCricket· 23m ago

IND vs WI fourth T20I | India and West Indies willow-wielders glove up for another batting blast