Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Bowlers have a field day on green-tinged wicket; Hyderabad trails J&K by 82 runs
There is no better sight for bowlers than watching batters struggle — beaten by pace, edges flying straight to fielders, and stumps rattling.
That was exactly the script on Sunday, as 16 wickets tumbled on a dramatic opening day of the fifth-round clash between Jammu & Kashmir and Hyderabad at the JKCA Sports Hostel & Science Ground.
Bowled out for 170, J&K roared back through its wrecker-in-chief Auqib Nabi, whose fiery spell (11-0-30-3) ripped through Hyderabad’s batting line up, leaving the visitors reeling at 88 for six at Stumps — mirroring its own morning collapse.
Nabi removed openers Tanmay Agarwal and Abhirath Reddy in quick succession, while Kodimela Himateja was run out following a mix-up and a sharp direct hit from covers, leaving Hyderabad struggling at 16 for three.
Skipper Rahul Singh and Nitish Reddy attempted to rebuild the innings, but Nabi struck again in the 13th over, dismissing Nitish.
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Left-arm seamer Sunil Kumar then knocked Rahul Radesh over, and just before Stumps, he induced an outside edge from Rahul Singh (48, 84b, 6×4), leaving Hyderabad 82 runs behind.
Earlier, Rahul’s (Hyderabad) decision to bowl first on a green-tinged surface paid immediate dividends. Pacer Kartikeya Kak struck twice, sending back opener Qamran Iqbal on the eighth ball of the innings and Vivrant Sharma on the 19th.
B. Punnaiah then castled the other opener, Shubham Khajuria, leaving J&K precariously placed at 17 for three. Abdul Samad partnered with skipper Paras Dogra to steady the innings briefly, but Rakshan Readdi dismissed Dogra and Kanhaiya Wadhawan, reducing J&K to 32 for five.
A 60-run sixth-wicket stand between Abid Mushtaq and Samad briefly revived J&K’s innings, but the resistance ended when left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan trapped Samad right in front.
Mushtaq fought on with determination, racing to a counterattacking half-century and adding 47 valuable runs with Sahil Lotra, before Thyagarajan struck again to dismiss Mushtaq, breaking the seventh-wicket partnership. From there, J&K’s tail folded quickly.
Published on Nov 16, 2025
