The final match of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 is underway, with Kerala facing off against Vidarbha. In this highly anticipated game, young bowler Harsh Dubey has been making waves for Vidarbha, playing a crucial role in giving his team a lead of 37 runs in the first innings. This season, Harsh has been on fire, and his bowling has left opposing teams’ batsmen struggling to keep up.
Harsh Dubey’s Record-Breaking Performance
In the first innings against Kerala, Harsh took three key wickets for 88 runs, cementing his position as the highest wicket-taking bowler in a season in the history of the Ranji Trophy. With a total of 69 wickets so far this season, he has surpassed the record held by Ashutosh Aman of Bihar, who took 68 wickets in the 2018-19 season. Harsh’s achievement is a testament to his skill and dedication to the sport.
The road to breaking the record was not easy, however. Harsh caught Aditya Sarwate in the first slip, taking his 67th wicket in the current season of the Ranji Trophy. He then equaled Nizzar’s LBW out of Lunch, tying the record of taking 68 wickets in a season held by Bihar’s Ashutosh Aman. But Harsh didn’t stop there – he went on to dismiss MD Nidhish LBW, making history by taking the most wickets in the Ranji season.
Vidarbha Takes the Lead
Vidarbha’s team scored 379 runs while batting first, with Danish Malevar scoring the highest 153 runs for the team. Karun Nair also made a significant contribution, scoring 86 runs. In response, Kerala’s team was all out for 342 runs, giving Vidarbha a significant lead of 37 runs in the first innings.
A Missed Century and Valiant Efforts
Kerala captain Sachin Baby narrowly missed a century, scoring 98 runs, while veteran Aditya Sarwate scored a brilliant innings of 79 runs in 185 balls. Although Salman Nizar and Mohammad Azharuddin showed promise with 21 and 34 runs, respectively, they were unable to convert their good starts into big scores. As the match continues, it will be exciting to see how these teams battle it out for the top spot.