Riding on a commanding first innings total of 584 and a fiery new-ball spell from Auqib Nabi, Jammu and Kashmir cemented their place in the final spot of the Ranji Trophy after three days at the KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground. Despite Mayank Agarwal’s defiant unbeaten 130, Karnataka closed Day 3 on 220/5, still facing a massive deficit in a contest firmly tilted in J&K’s favour.
Karnataka vs J&K, Ranji Trophy Final Day 3: Highlights
Resuming the day in control J&K extended their dominance as the lower order added a valuable 57 runs before the innings ended on a mammoth 584. Prasidh Krishna finished with five wickets, dismissing Abid Mushtaq for 28, while Vijaykumar Vyshak was already on Sahil72 after his patient did the damage.
Karnataka’s reply quickly unraveled under Auqib Nabi’s relentless pressure. The right-handed paceman struck in the 12th over, removing KL Rahul on 13 with a skidding delivery that straightened enough to edge. Two overs later came the decisive burst: Karun Nair was bowled at all ends as his stumps shook, and Smaran Ravichandran followed the next ball and went behind. From a steady start, Karnataka slumped to 57/4 and handed J&K complete control of the contest.
Devdutt Padikkal had earlier fallen for 11 with Sunil Kumar caught at slip as the J&K bowlers kept up relentless pressure on a surface that offered just enough assistance. The early collapse left Karnataka staring at the prospect of a massive first innings lead.
Mayank Agarwal stood tall amidst the ruins. The senior professional, measured in defense and selective in attack, absorbed the pressure and patiently rebuilt. He found solid support in Shreyasi Gopal and the pair put together a crucial 105-run partnership that steadied the innings. Mayank smartly turned the strike once the gloss wore off the ball and punished the under-delivered, bringing up a fighting century that briefly shifted the momentum.
However, J&K struck back in the last session. Yudhvir Singh broke the stands by dismissing Gopal for 27, ensuring the visitors did not lose control of the contest. However, Mayank remained undeterred. He joined Kruthik Krishna (27*) to safely guide Karnataka through the remaining operations, with the duo adding an unbroken 58 runs to prevent further damage.
In the end, Karnataka were still way behind in the game, despite Mayank’s master class. Buoyed by Nabi’s fiery burst and their formidable first innings total, J&K have a commanding advantage heading into Day 4.
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
February 26, 2026
