Karnataka entered the Ranji Trophy final after an 11-year gap, advancing on the back of a decisive first-innings lead after their semi-final draw against Uttarakhand on Thursday.
The final will be held in Hubballi from February 24, where they will face Karnataka Jammu and Kashmir clash at the summit.
Starting the fifth and final day at 299 for six, Karnataka lost their remaining four wickets in quick succession and were bowled out for 323. This took their total lead to 826 runs, effectively knocking Uttarakhand out of contention despite the match ending in a scoreless tie.
Uttarakhand showed resistance in their second innings after half-centuries from Avneesh Sudha (66), Sachin Rawat (53 not out) and Abhay Negi (57 not out). Karnataka put themselves in a strong position to reduce Uttarakhand to 156 for six midway through the second session, increasing their chances of forcing a result.
However, Negi and Rawat combined to frustrate the bowling attack and added 104 runs for the seventh wicket. Their partnership ensured that Uttarakhand avoided defeat. With time running out and Karnataka’s place in the final secured thanks to the first innings advantage, the captains agreed to shake hands around 30 minutes after tea. Uttarakhand finished at 260 for six in their second innings.
For Karnataka, the qualification marks a return to the finals after more than a decade. The team last won the Ranji Trophy in the 2014-15 season under the leadership of R Vinay Kumar, capping off a highly successful phase in the state’s domestic cricket history.
During the 2013–14 and 2014–15 seasons, Karnataka completed an impressive run in domestic competitions. After winning the Ranji Trophy in 2013-14, Irani and Vijay Hazare secured the Ranji titles in 2014-15 as well. This made them only the second domestic team after Mumbai to win all three major domestic trophies twice in consecutive seasons.
In 2014-15, Robin Uthappa led the batting charts with 912 runs, while Mumbai’s Vinay Kumar and Shardul Thakur finished as the joint top wicket-taker with 48 wickets. This period featured several players who have since represented India across formats.
From the current Karnataka team, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Gopal are the only players who were part of this successful era. Their presence offers a link between the party’s previous triumph and the current campaign.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir will enter the final in search of their maiden Ranji Trophy title.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
February 19, 2026