Kerala’s first game was 68 years ago, and they are now only one step away from making it to their first Ranji Trophy final. The team, led by billy777, pulled off an exciting win over Gujarat in Ahmedabad, beating them by a small percentage on the fifth and final morning of the match.
An Exciting Start to the Last Day
In the morning, Gujarat only needed 28 runs to take the lead. On the other hand, Kerala must get rid of three more batters to stay in the game. Aditya Sarwate, a left-arm spin bowler, got rid of all three of Gujarat’s final batters, giving Kerala a slim two-run lead in the first innings.
Crucial Wickets and Turning Points
On the last day, each wicket had exciting and tense moments. The first big step forward came when Jaymeet Patel, who was in good shape, fell because of a series of bad luck.
At first, Gujarat had a chance because Kerala’s captain, Sachin Baby, dropped a catch at extra cover. But Sarwate bowled two balls later that didn’t turn and skipped along, which caught Jaymeet off guard.
He didn’t see the ball coming and lost his balance, which let wicketkeeper Mohammed Azharuddeen do a great job of stumping him. After a lengthy review, the judge said Jaymeet was out because his foot was on the crease line when the bails were removed.
A Tense Battle as Gujarat Fought Back
Arzan Nagwaswalla, Gujarat’s No. 10 batter, had good form and even hit a four off Akshay Chandran, who bowled spin part-time. Gujarat was now closer to their goal. Gujarat’s defenses were strong, but Kerala quickly returned to their expert spinners to get past them.
Another critical moment was getting Siddharth Desai out at a silly point after he had stuck with the bat for 163 deliveries. He immediately used DRS to look over the ruling, and the Ultra-Edge technology showed that the bat did not touch the ball.
But in a surprise turn of events, technology that tracks balls showed that the ball would have hit the leg stump instead, making it an LBW removal. Desai was shocked by the choice, but the people of Kerala were happy about it.
It gets closer to Gujarat, but Kerala stays strong.
Nagwaswalla and Priyajitsinh Jadeja, Gujarat’s last two batters, kept their dreams alive with only eight runs left to score. Kerala had a slight chance when Nagwaswalla hit a ball that got caught between Salman Nizar’s legs and then went out.
Soon after, Jalaj Saxena of Kerala almost got an essential wicket by tricking Nagwaswalla with a sharply spun ball. The ball hit the inside part of the bat, went very close to the leg stump, and then ran to the gap.
The Moment When Kerala Won
Finally, the turning point came when Sarwate threw a ball that made Nagwaswalla want to take a big shot. With a thick inside edge, the ball flew to a short leg and hit Salman Nizar in the head. It then bounced up to Sachin Baby at slip. The Kerala team was happy when they realized they had made history by getting one step closer to the final.
While the party went on, Nizar was taken off the pitch for an injury check. At the same time, Kerala’s batters were getting ready to play the last game of the match the previous day.
Stars of the Match
Jalaj Saxena bowled nonstop for 71 overs in the second innings and got four crucial wickets. Kerala won because of his spell on the fourth morning. While Aditya Sarwate had a tough start to the game, he turned things around by finishing with an impressive 4 for 111. He proved his worth when it meant the most.
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Getting ready for the final
Finally, Kerala can play in the Ranji Trophy final for the first time. They will play Vidarbha there in Nagpur. This momentous event starts a new era for Kerala cricket, giving the team and their fans hope for a great end to their season.
This win wasn’t just about skill; it also took hard work and teamwork. Kerala’s run to the final shows that hard work and faith can help you do amazing things in cricket.
