Jalaj Saxena's five-wicket haul led Kerala to an innings victory over Odisha. Mumbai also registered a big innings win for a bonus point. Delhi, Punjab, Hyderabad, and Saurashtra also secured points in their respective Ranji Trophy matches.

Jalaj Saxena’s five-wicket haul powered Kerala to an innings-and-36-run victory over Odisha, while Mumbai registered their second consecutive bonus-point win in the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 on Wednesday. Delhi bounced back from their opening-round defeat to Bengal by securing three points against Gujarat after taking a first-innings lead, as Punjab and Hyderabad also recorded convincing victories over Chhattisgarh and Andhra, respectively.

Saxena's Five-For Powers Kerala to Innings Win

Meanwhile, Saurashtra earned three points against Karnataka after gaining a narrow first-innings lead. Saxena claimed five wickets as Kerala bowled Odisha out for 143 in their second innings to secure an innings-and-36-run win in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C clash in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. The win lifted Kerala to third place in the standings, behind Maharashtra and Bengal. Bengal had defeated Services by 60 runs on Tuesday.

Resuming their second innings at 102/4 after being asked to follow on, Odisha lost their remaining six wickets for just 41 runs and were dismissed for 143. Kerala wrapped up the contest in the second session of the fourth and final day.

Saxena spearheaded Kerala’s bowling attack with figures of 5/34 in 18 overs, as Odisha failed to build on their overnight score.

Earlier, Odisha had managed 225 in their first innings, conceding a lead of 179 runs after Kerala posted 404. Mohammed Azharuddeen was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 139 in Kerala’s first innings.

Delhi Bounce Back with First-Innings Lead

Delhi recovered from their opening-round loss to Bengal by securing three points against Gujarat in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C encounter at Palam B Ground on Wednesday. The match ended in a draw, with Delhi gaining the first-innings lead after posting a commanding 648/6 declared. Captain Ayush Badoni led the charge with a superb 217, while Priyansh Arya contributed 199 off 221 balls and was named Player of the Match for his outstanding effort.

Gujarat, who had topped the standings after the opening round, resumed their first innings at 363/5 on the final day and added 116 runs before being bowled out for 479 in 174.1 overs. Manan Hingrajia converted his overnight unbeaten 108 into 123 off 303 balls, while captain Chintan Gaja advanced from 41 to 82. However, Gujarat conceded a 169-run first-innings lead.

Delhi spinner Hrithik Shokeen claimed five wickets for 143 runs, while Sumit Mathur picked up two wickets. Delhi enforced the follow-on, with Gujarat reaching 15/1 in eight overs before the match ended in a draw. The result lifted Delhi to sixth place in the eight-team standings with three points, while Gujarat earned one point.

Mumbai Continue Dominance with Bonus-Point Victory

Mumbai registered their second successive bonus-point win in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group D, defeating Himachal Pradesh by an innings and 97 runs in Bilaspur on Wednesday. Mumbai declared their first innings at 528/8, powered by centuries from Sarfaraz Khan, who scored 154, and Akash Anand, who contributed 117. In response, Himachal Pradesh were dismissed for 140, handing Mumbai a commanding first-innings lead of 388 runs. Mumbai then bowled out the hosts for 291 in their second innings to seal a comprehensive innings victory and maintain their winning momentum in the tournament.

Wins for Punjab, Saurashtra and Hyderabad

Punjab secured a seven-wicket victory over Chhattisgarh in their Ranji Trophy Group B encounter in Mullanpur on Wednesday, with spinners Harjas Singh and Emanjot Singh Chahal claiming three wickets each. After posting 456 in their first innings, Punjab bowled Chhattisgarh out for 206 and enforced the follow-on. The visitors showed greater resistance in their second innings, scoring 335 to set Punjab a target of 86 runs. Punjab chased down the target in just 16.5 overs, losing three wickets in the process to seal a convincing victory.

Saurashtra secured three points against Karnataka in Alur after gaining a slender first-innings lead, marking their second consecutive match with a three-point haul in the Ranji Trophy. Karnataka declared their second innings at 243/7, setting Saurashtra a target of 237 runs. With time running out, Saurashtra opted to prioritise securing the points rather than chase an outright victory.

Hyderabad registered a comprehensive 267-run victory over Andhra in their Ranji Trophy clash at Mulapadu, with left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan starring on the final day. Thyagarajan claimed six wickets for just 35 runs as Andhra were bowled out for 130, sealing a convincing win for Hyderabad. (ANI)

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