Photo via The Hindu

Ranji Trophy: Manvanth’s gutsy knock lifts Karnataka on day one

Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy campaign received a significant boost on day one as young batsman Manvanth Kumar delivered a match-saving innings of 86 not out. Batting at number nine, Kumar anchored Karnataka’s tail with a composed yet aggressive approach, including two towering sixes off Saurashtra veteran Jaydev Unadkat and three maximums against left-arm spinner Parth Bhut.

His unbeaten half-century, scored in just 65 balls, helped Karnataka recover from a shaky 187 for seven to reach 281 for eight, with a crucial 87-run partnership with Abhilash Shetty (6 not out) providing stability at the lower order.

The team’s top order struggled early, with debutants Rohan Patil and Aneeshwar Gautam failing to make an impact, while key batsmen like Mayank Agarwal (42) and K.V. Aneesh (59) provided brief respite.

Aneesh’s fifty, though, came after a risky shot against Chetan Sakariya ended his innings. Karnataka’s bowlers, led by Unadkat (3/51) and Bhut (3/73), kept Saurashtra in check, but the match’s momentum shifted decisively thanks to Kumar’s resilience and Shetty’s steady support.

Up nextCricket· 28m ago

Shafali Verma breaks Smriti Mandhana's record of most fifty-plus scores in a calendar year