Srinagar, Oct 11: Defending champions Jammu and Kashmir made a promising start to their Ranji Trophy 2026-27 campaign, bowling out Madhya Pradesh for 196 on the opening day of their Elite Group match at the Sher-i-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar on Sunday.
After winning the toss, J&K skipper Paras Dogra elected to field first, and his bowlers justified the decision by reducing the visitors to 41 for three before captain Shubham Sharma steadied the innings with a patient half-century.
The opening day also marked the formal start of the new Ranji Trophy season in Srinagar, with BCCI president Mithun Manhas present at the venue to officially kick off the campaign. He was accompanied by BCCI and Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) officials and later wished both teams success.
Madhya Pradesh lost Harsh Gawali, Yash Dubey and wicketkeeper Himanshu Mantri early, putting the visitors under pressure. However, Shubham Sharma held the innings together with 79 off 174 deliveries, including eight boundaries.
Chanchal Rathore contributed 33 off 75 balls, while Aryan Pandey added 35 from 60 deliveries. Their efforts helped Madhya Pradesh recover from the early setbacks, but J&K continued to make inroads and eventually dismissed the visitors in 74.2 overs.
Rohit Sharma was among the leading performers for the hosts, claiming five wickets for 36 runs from 21.2 overs. Sunil Kumar took four wickets for 69 runs, while Auqib Nabi, returning to the J&K side, finished with one for 42 from 20 overs, picking 1 wicket.
J&K’s reply began shortly before stumps, but the hosts suffered an early setback when experienced Madhya Pradesh pacer Avesh Khan trapped Shubham Khajuria leg before wicket for a duck.
The hosts ended the day at three for one after three overs, with Qamran Iqbal unbeaten on three and Vanshaj Sharma yet to score. J&K trail by 193 runs with nine wickets in hand.
Madhya Pradesh will look to exploit the morning conditions on Day 2 and put the hosts’ batting order under pressure. J&K, meanwhile, will aim to negotiate the new ball and build a substantial first-innings total to gain an advantage in the contest.
About The Author
