The Ranji Trophy 2024-2025 semifinals saw contrasting fortunes for the teams batting first after winning the toss. Vidarbha, playing at home in Nagpur against Mumbai, reached a respectable 308/5 on Day 1. Despite the absence of any century-makers, their consistent scoring across the lineup put them in a good position, thanks to Dhruv Shorey, Danish Malewar's half-centuries. Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, Kerala struggled against Gujarat. Kerala batters did get good starts but apparently failed to convert them into big scores to left them at 206/4 despite Sachin Baby's unbeaten fifty on Day 1.
Vidarbha batters keep Mumbai bowlers in check
Looked like Karun Nair will yet again clock a big score but he fell five runs short of a well deserved fifty. But the day's highlight belonged to Mumbai's Shivam Dube. His medium pace proved crucial, breaking up a promising second-wicket partnership and later dismissing the well-set Nair for 45. Dube's timely breakthroughs prevented Vidarbha from reaching an even more dominant position, despite their ultimately solid total.
Vidarbha's innings was anchored by opener Dhruv Shorey (74), who batted confidently after the early loss of Atharva Taide (4). Shorey looked set for his second century of the season before being dismissed by Shams Mulani (79). The left-arm spinner also accounted for Danish Malewar, who, like Shorey, fell in the seventies. For Mumbai, Shardul Thakur, their quarter-final hero, had a quiet day, conceding 57 runs from 14 wicketless overs. His new-ball partner, Mohit Awasthi, also struggled, going for 61 runs in the same number of overs. On a day where the frontline pace bowlers struggled, it was Mulani's spin and Dube's crucial wickets that kept Mumbai in the contest.
Sachin Baby's captain's knock for Kerala
Kerala's path to the semi-final involved a patient, defensive strategy against Jammu & Kashmir, where they effectively stonewalled their opponents on the final day to secure a narrow first-innings lead and ultimately a victory. Surprisingly, in their semi-final match against Gujarat, Kerala seemed to adopt a similar, cautious approach, despite the need for runs.
This cautious approach resulted in a series of frustrating nervous thirties for Kerala's batsmen. Three players, including both openers Rohan Kunnumal and Akshay Chandran, as well as number five Jalaj Saxena, were dismissed for 30 runs each. While they managed to get themselves in, they failed to capitalise on their starts and provide the substantial contributions their team desperately needed. Only skipper Sachin Baby managed to navigate the tricky conditions, remaining unbeaten on 69 off 193 balls.
Kerala's troubles began with an unfortunate run-out. Kunnumal and Chandran had built a solid 60-run opening partnership when Kunnumal attempted a risky single to extra-cover. Chandran, unable to make his ground, was run out at the striker's end. Although Gujarat didn't take wickets in clusters, their disciplined bowling and tight lines effectively slowed down Kerala's scoring rate, keeping them firmly in the game.