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Uttarakhand create history in Ranji Trophy [Source: @ANI/X.com]
Uttarakhand came up with a clinical all-round performance to defeat Jharkhand by an innings and six runs in the first quarter-final of the Ranji Trophy Elite 2025-26 at Keenan Stadium, Jamshedpur.
Strong spells of bowling, patient batting backed by relentless pressure meant Uttarakhand never fell behind from the opening morning.
Jharkhand struggled to build momentum across both innings and were eventually overwhelmed by Uttarakhand’s depth and discipline.
Jharkhand struggle in the first inning
After being put into bat first, Jharkhand’s problems began early. Janmejay Joshi and Aditya Rawat exploited the morning conditions well. Shikhar Mohan fell cheaply, followed soon by Sharandeep Singh and Manishi.
Kumar Kushagra could not settle either. Captain Virat Singh tried to anchor the innings with a careful 47, but scoring remained slow. Wickets kept falling at the other end, including a first-ball dismissal for Robin Minz.
The only real resistance came from Aaditya Singh. Batting patiently, he scored 83 off 167 balls and held the lower order together. His innings included ten fours and a six, and he was clearly Jharkhand’s standout batter.
However, he lacked support. Jharkhand were bowled out for 235 in 85 overs. Joshi finished with four wickets, while Aditya Rawat and Mayank Mishra shared six between them.
Uttarakhand fight back to take control
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand responded with a far more composed batting effort. Avneesh Sudha gave them a steady start with a well-made 64. After an early wicket, Kunal Chandela added solidity at no. 3, scoring 68 with good control.
Jagadeesha Suchith played the longest and most influential innings of his career. He faced almost four sessions and accumulated 70 runs from 172 balls, taking the pressure off and boiling down the opposition.
Useful contributions came from Saurabh Rawat and Abhay Negi, who added valuable runs lower down the order. Jharkhand rotated their bowlers but could not find sustained breakthroughs.
Uttarakhand were in the end dismissed for 371, earning them a commanding lead of 136 runs. Jharkhand's bowlers worked hard, but the lack of penetration told as they struggled leavily.
Jharkhand collapsed again after a deficit
Facing a huge deficit, Jharkhand needed a strong second innings but collapsed again. Abhay Negi struck twice early, removing both openers cheaply.
However, Virat Singh battled hard and managed 55, showing intent and urgency to his innings. Kumar Kushagra assisted him for a while, and his batting was going alright until the partnership was broken.
Mayank Mishra delivered the decisive blow with a superb spell of five wickets for 22 runs. He found movement and accuracy, ripping through the middle and lower order.
Jharkhand were bowled out for 130 in just over 41 overs, sealing a thumping and historic win for Uttarakhand.
That being said, Uttarakhand will now compete against Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Elite semi-final on February 15. The venue for the knockout game, however, is yet to be decided. But for Uttarakhand, the stakes will higher than ever.
