Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Quarterfinals: Auqib Nabi takes seven wickets for J&K before Madhya Pradesh bounces back
A seam bowling exhibition from Auqib Nabi gave Jammu and Kashmir the crucial first-innings lead, but Madhya Pradesh was not ready to throw in the towel just yet.
An enthralling second day of the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal in Indore on Saturday ended with J&K holding a handy overall lead of 126 runs.
The first half belonged to Nabi (7/40), who ripped through the MP line-up. The speedster’s exploits, which led MP to fold for 152, handed the visitor a 42-run first-innings lead.
AS IT HAPPENED | Ranji Trophy Highlights, Quarterfinals Day 2
Nabi kept a full length, and extracted late movement. Nabi trapped Harsh Gawali (10) and southpaw Himanshu Mantri (0) on the pads with deliveries which tailed in. Captain Rajat Patidar was tentative in his brief stint, eventually fishing outside off to offer a catch to the slip cordon.
The last hour before Lunch witnessed a fascinating contest between the J&K pacers and Venkatesh Iyer. The southpaw fought his natural attacking instinct to shoulder arms and defend. At the other end, Yash Dubey was rock solid.
The duo survived until the break, but shortly after play resumed, Nabi nicked off a tentative Venkatesh (22, 64b, 2×4).
MP suffered a body blow when Dubey (58, 123b, 8×4), the most composed batter on view, was caught by a diving Abdul Samad at slip.
Kuldeep Sen, who picked up a five-for in the first essay, set up opener Yawer Hassan with a bouncer, before catching him flat footed with a fuller one.
| Photo Credit:
RV Moorthy
Kuldeep Sen, who picked up a five-for in the first essay, set up opener Yawer Hassan with a bouncer, before catching him flat footed with a fuller one.
| Photo Credit:
RV Moorthy
J&K would have liked to bat MP out of the contest, but as has been the norm in this outing, the seamers held sway. Kuldeep Sen, who picked up a five-for in the first essay, set up opener Yawer Hassan with a bouncer, before catching him flat footed with a fuller one.
A quick skidder rattled Shubham Pundir’s stumps, with the ball striking timber before the bat was brought down.
Kuldeep’s new ball partner Aryan Pandey suffered an injury and left the field on a stretcher. Venkatesh took over with his military medium, and managed to scalp two key wickets. The first came when captain Paras Dogra (17) glanced one going down leg to the wicketkeeper Mantri.
In Venkatesh’s next over, Abdul Samad threw his hands at a short delivery way outside off and edged it. For the second time in this match, Samad was guilty of poor shot selection.
J&K ended the day on 84 for five, leaving the door open for an MP comeback.
The score:
Jammu & Kashmir – 1st innings: 194.
Madhya Pradesh – 1st innings: Harsh Gawali lbw b Nabi 10, Yash Dubey c Samad b Sunil 58, Himanshu Mantri lbw b Nabi 0, Shubham Sharma b Sunil 1, Rajat Patidar c Hassan b Nabi 10, Venkatesh Iyer c Wadhawan b Nabi 22, Saransh Jain c Hassan b Sunil 13, Aryan Pandey c Pundir b Nabi 0, Ramveer Gurjar lbw b Nabi 0, Kumar Kartikeya c Sunil b Nabi 13, Kuldeep Sen (not out) 1; Extras (nb-10, b-11, lb-3) 24; Total (in 53.4 overs): 152.
Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-34, 3-39, 4-54, 5-106, 6-136, 7-137, 8-137, 9-137.
Jammu & Kashmir bowling: Nabi 18.4-0-40-7, Sunil 19-7-47-3, Yudhvir 13-3-37-0, Vanshaj 3-0-14-0.
Jammu & Kashmir – 2nd innings: Shubham Khajuria c Dubey b Gurjar 13, Yawer Hassan c Mantri b Kuldeep 1, Shubham Pundir b Kuldeep 4, Paras Dogra c Mantri b Venkatesh 17, Abdul Samad c Mantri b Venkatesh 32, Kanhaiya Wadhawan (batting) 7, Abid Mushtaq (batting) 3; Extras (nb-2, b-4, lb-1): 7; Total (for five wkts. in 26 overs): 84.
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-19, 3-19, 4-68, 5-73.
Madhya Pradesh bowling: Aryan 1.1-0-4-0, Kuldeep 9-3-25-2, Venkatesh 4.5-0-10-2, Gurjar 8-1-22-1, Kartikeya 3-1-18-0.
Published on Feb 07, 2026
