Srinagar, Feb 26: J&K moved within touching distance of a historic Ranji Trophy title as they ended Day 3 in a dominant position, leaving Karnataka trailing by 364 runs in the final. After posting a massive 584 in their first innings, J&K bowlers struck at regular intervals to reduce Karnataka to 220 for 5 in 69 overs at stumps.
Resuming their innings earlier, J&K stretched their total to 584 in 173.1 overs, riding on key contributions across the order. The big first innings score put immediate pressure on Karnataka and gave J&K full control of the contest in their maiden appearance in the final.
In reply, Karnataka suffered early setbacks. Aaqib Nabi Dar led the charge with the ball, claiming 3 for 32 in 14 overs. He removed Rahul for 13, Karun Nair for a duck, and Smaran Ravichandran for zero, denting Karnataka’s top order. His disciplined line and movement off the surface ensured J&K maintained the upper hand through the opening session.
Sunil Kumar supported well, picking up the wicket of skipper Devdutt Padikkal for 11, while Yudhvir Singh Charak dismissed Shreyas Gopal for 27 to keep Karnataka under pressure. At one stage, Karnataka were struggling at 57 for 4 before Mayank Agarwal steadied the innings with a determined knock.
Agarwal remained unbeaten on 130 off 207 balls, striking 17 boundaries and holding the innings together. He found support from wicketkeeper Kruthik Krishna, who was unbeaten on 27 at close. However, the deficit remains steep and Karnataka still have a long road ahead to avoid conceding a decisive advantage.
With five wickets already down and a huge first innings gap, J&K are firmly in command. One strong session on Day 4 could push them closer to a landmark triumph in their first ever Ranji final.
