Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Athish shines with 88 as Tamil Nadu sets 455-run target for Odisha on final day
Opener S.R. Athish journeyed from a scratchy maiden fifty in the first innings to a far more compact, at times flamboyant, career-best 88 (162b, 9×4, 3×6) on day three of the Elite Group-A sixth-round Ranji Trophy match against Odisha at the KIIT Stadium here on Saturday.
Sonu Yadav then followed up his maiden five-for with an unfettered career-best 74 (75b, 4×4, 5×6) as Tamil Nadu, bowled out for 316, set Odisha a target of 455.
After fog delayed the start by 35 minutes, Athish and pacer Rajesh Mohanty lent the first session its pulse – a cold war played out in short balls and stares, in ducks and defiance.
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As Mohanty shortened his length, Athish took him on with the hook, the ball climbing towards fine leg before falling safely, Debabrata Pradhan spilling the chance on 33. Mohanty’s response was immediate and pointed – two more short balls in the same over. Athish ducked one, then walked down the track and swayed away from the other, refusing both bat and bravado. Mohanty stared him down on both occasions, daring him to flinch.
Athish chose to respond in the pacer’s next over. Another short ball from Mohanty, this time pulled with authority, threading the gap between deep backward square leg and fine leg. The next one was shorter still, and Athish was ready – swivelling, rolling his wrists, and sending it sailing over deep backward square leg for a six. The bat did the talking now, the glares answered without a glance. His fifty arrived fittingly – a cover drive off Mohanty, a stroke of calm after the storm.
Athish was put down on 65 by Biplab Samantaray at first slip off pacer Sambit Baral, a reprieve he made count by taking the spinners head-on in the second session.
The third session belonged to Sonu. He unfurled a catalogue of clean hits against spinners, including straight and long-on sixes off left-arm spjnner Badal Biswal in the same over, before signing off with a wicket.
Published on Jan 24, 2026
