Written By- Tannu Puri
In the Ranji Trophy Final 2025, Vidarbha faced Kerala at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. Kerala won the toss and elected to field first. citeturn0search3
First Innings: Vidarbha’s Batting
Vidarbha’s innings began with openers Dhruv Shorey and Darshan Nalkande. The early overs saw tight bowling from Kerala’s pacers, with Eden Apple Tom and MD Nidheesh maintaining pressure.
- Early Breakthrough: In the 6th over, MD Nidheesh struck, removing Darshan Nalkande for 1, leaving Vidarbha at 11/1. citeturn0search6
- Further Setbacks: By the 8th over, Vidarbha had lost another wicket, with Danish Malewar departing for 6, bringing the score to 18/2. citeturn0search8
At the end of the first session, Vidarbha was 24/3, with Danish Malewar (6) and Karun Nair (11) at the crease. citeturn0search5
Kerala’s Bowling Performance
Kerala’s bowlers, particularly MD Nidheesh, made significant contributions:
- MD Nidheesh: His early breakthrough against Nalkande set the tone for Kerala’s bowling attack.
- Eden Apple Tom: Maintained pressure with consistent line and length, contributing to the early breakthroughs.
Pitch Report
The pitch at Nagpur offered assistance to both pacers and spinners. Early moisture and grass provided bounce and seam movement, favoring the bowlers. As the day progressed, the pitch was expected to settle, offering more support to the batsmen. citeturn0search3
Looking Ahead
As the match progresses, Vidarbha will aim to stabilize their innings and build partnerships, while Kerala will look to capitalize on their early breakthroughs and maintain pressure.
