Fast bowlers dominate quarter-finals as Karnataka seize control, Bengal strike late blows, Kuldeep Sen claims five-for, and Uttarakhand bowlers shine

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Fast bowlers dictated terms across multiple Ranji Trophy quarter-finals on the opening day, with Karnataka, Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand all enjoying varying degrees of dominance.

At the BKC red-soil pitch, Mumbai’s decision to bat first backfired as they were bundled out for just 120 by Karnataka. The surface offered good bounce and movement early on, which Vidwath Kaverappa and Prasidh Krishna exploited expertly. Mumbai lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early, caught behind off Vidyadhar Patil for 5, before Kaverappa struck twice to leave the hosts reeling at 39 for 3.

Although Akhil Herwadkar tried to steady the innings with a patient knock, wickets kept tumbling. Prasidh removed Suryansh Shedge and then struck twice in successive deliveries to dent Mumbai further. Captain Shardul Thakur briefly resisted but fell attempting an ill-judged lofted shot. Herwadkar reached a fighting fifty, but legspinner Shreyas Gopal wrapped up the tail, finishing Mumbai’s innings at 120.

In reply, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal provided a brisk start, racing Karnataka to 46 in eight overs. Rahul fell for 28, but Agarwal remained unbeaten on 54 as Karnataka closed the day firmly in control.

In Kalyani, two late wickets swung momentum Bengal’s way against Andhra, who finished day one on 264 for 6. After early contributions from KS Bharat and Shaik Rasheed, Ricky Bhui anchored the innings with an impressive 83. Alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy, Bhui added 108 for the fifth wicket, seemingly putting Andhra in command. However, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep struck late, removing both Bhui and Nitish in quick succession to tilt the balance towards Bengal. Mukesh ended the day with figures of 3 for 50.

Meanwhile in Indore, Kuldeep Sen produced a match-defining spell, claiming 5 for 66 as Madhya Pradesh bowled Jammu & Kashmir out for 194. After early breakthroughs, J&K were steadied by Shubham Khajuria’s 60 and a gritty partnership with Paras Dogra. Once the stand was broken, wickets fell rapidly, though a counterattacking 41 from No. 10 Yudhvir Singh pushed the total close to 200. MP responded positively, reaching 28 without loss at stumps.

Fast bowlers also dominated proceedings in Jamshedpur, where Uttarakhand dismissed Jharkhand for 235. Janmejay Joshi, Aditya Rawat and spinner Mayank Mishra shared the spoils, triggering collapses at regular intervals. A resilient 83 from Aditya Singh helped Jharkhand post a fighting total, but Uttarakhand ended the day at 4 for 0, firmly on top.

Overall, day one of the quarter-finals belonged to the bowlers, with pace attacks and disciplined spells shaping the contests and setting up intriguing battles ahead.