Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Andhra middle-order supports Abhishek but Vidarbha takes lead on Day 2

Vidarbha tightened its grip on the Ranji Trophy Group ‘A’ fixture against Andhra after a frenetic second day at the Anantapur Cricket Ground, where wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving the host under pressure heading into day three.

The visitor lost its remaining three wickets inside the first nine overs of the morning to be bowled out for 295. Andhra, however, failed to make the most of home conditions and was bundled out for 228.

It was a combined bowling effort by Vidarbha, with all bowlers except Harsh Dubey getting two wickets each.

For the host, Abhishek Reddy—Andhra’s top scorer this season—continued his good form with a fluent 73, while Saurabh Kumar played a fighting knock of 62. Nitish Kumar Reddy looked good while he lasted, scoring 35 off 48 balls.

Vidarbha openers, Atharva Taide and nightwatchman Aditya Thakare, safely played out the two overs, extending the lead to 71 runs at Stumps.

Regular wickets

Vidarbha began the day with overnight batters, centurion Yash Rathod and Nachiket Bhute, finding the fence early. However, both were dismissed in consecutive overs, 20 minutes in.

Rathod went searching for a non-existent drive and was caught behind off K. Saiteja, who also claimed the final wicket of Parth Rekhade similarly. In between, Bhute skied a delivery to gift K. Raju his fifth wicket as he looked to up the ante.

In reply, Andhra began with Abhishek and K.S. Bharat finding boundaries square of the wicket off the backfoot. Bharat, however, didn’t last long and edged to first slip off Darshan Nalkande.

The host then lost two more quick wickets in Shaik Rasheed and captain Ricky Bhui, both falling without scoring. While Rasheed was cleaned up by Bhute, Thakare had Bhui caught behind.

Middle order fightback

With the Vidarbha bowlers keeping the length back, Abhishek displayed some crisp backfoot punches to collect boundaries. Thakare returned later to find a thick edge off Abhishek’s blade to gully, ending the opener’s 91-ball stay. Karan Shinde soon chopped on against Dubey.

Nitish got going with a charge down the track for four against Rekhade before pushing one through the midwicket region for another boundary. When Nalkande tested him with bouncers, Nitish pulled him in front of midwicket twice. The pacer, however, had the last laugh as Nitish smashed a back-of-a-length delivery straight to cover.

Vidarbha also laid a short-ball trap against Saurabh, but the experienced left-hander was smart enough to pick and choose which ones to attack. Just when a partnership was beginning to take shape between him and Raju, the latter was run out while attempting a quick single.

Saurabh, though, continued to knock around but couldn’t carry Andhra’s innings to the next day as Rekhade cleaned him up 10 minutes before Stumps. 

Published on Jan 23, 2026