Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Rahul’s dropped catch titled quarterfinal in our favour, says Smaran
After Karnataka defeated Mumbai at home and stormed into the semifinal of the Ranji Trophy, R. Smaran admitted that K.L. Rahul’s dropped catch on Monday was the turning point of the match.
Karnataka still had a mountain to climb when Rahul was batting on 75. But with Mumbai’s slip fielders squandering an opportunity, the Indian opener not only scored a century, but also paved the way for the team’s four-wicket win. And watching the proceedings from the non-striker’s end, Smaran felt that Mumbai couldn’t recover from that setback.
“That was the turning point because he (Rahul) is a great player for us, and dropping him will always be very costly. Both of us were looking to play some positive cricket, and that was the talk out there,” Smaran said, adding: “That (the dropped catch) did shift the momentum and got us even more boundaries in the next four-five overs…”
MATCH REPORT | K.L. Rahul’s century takes Karnataka into Ranji Trophy semifinal
Despite a batting debacle in the first innings, Rahul ensured that Karnataka chased down a big total and Smaran admitted that his presence is an immense boost for the team. “I think it’s a privilege for all of us that he’s come and played the Ranji Trophy games with us. He’s played a lot of Test matches for India and he carries a tremendous experience. Even out there in the middle, he kept guiding me and kept telling me what shots I should play and how I could pace my game,” Smaran said, revealing that the strategy was to ensure that the runs kept flowing.
Published on Feb 09, 2026
