Ranji Trophy 2025-26, Round 7 Day 1: Prabhudessai, Kasvankar score contrasting fifties; Ankit picks five for Kerala
Contrasting fifties from opener Suyash Prabhudessai and debutant Yash Kasvankar helped Goa counterbalance Kerala’s disciplined bowling display on an evenly battled day of cricket in Porvorim on Thursday.
Goa ended the opening day at 279/8 in its Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Elite Group C match against Kerala at the Goa Cricket Association Ground.
While Prabhudessai’s 172-ball 86 was hard-earned through combative means, left-handed batter Kasvankar made his mark with fluent strokeplay during his 97-ball 50.
Kerala’s Ankit Sharma registered a five-wicket haul after a marathon 34-over bowling effort on the opening day.
| Photo Credit:
B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM
Kerala’s Ankit Sharma registered a five-wicket haul after a marathon 34-over bowling effort on the opening day.
| Photo Credit:
B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM
Left-arm spinner Ankit Sharma led the charge for the Kerala bowling attack with a five-wicket haul secured through a marathon effort that lasted 33.4 overs.
The day began with Kerala’s new-ball pair of Basil N. P. and Nidheesh M. D. putting in a probing shift after their side lost the toss. Prabhudessai and his opening partner, Kashyap Bakhale, managed to add just 11 runs from the first seven overs.
The early pressure eventually coalesced into wickets for first-change bowler Ankit, who dismissed Bakhale and the in-form Abhinav Tejrana in consecutive overs to put Kerala ahead.
Prabhudessai, though, held fort. The Goan batter was also the recipient of a significant slice of luck. In the opening session, Basil had Prabhudessai caught behind, only for the umpire to signal a no-ball after the Kerala pacer was spotted overstepping.
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Prabhudessai cashed in on his fortune with some crisp shot-making. The 28-year-old showed a particular affinity for back-foot play, with seven of his 10 boundaries coming behind the square on either side of the wicket.
The Kerala bowlers, though, found success in chipping away from the other end. Basil had Goan skipper Snehal Kauthankar caught at first slip, before he bumped out Lalit Yadav, giving 17-year-old debutant wicketkeeper Manav Krishna his maiden dismissal in senior cricket.
Goa found fresh wind through Kasvankar, who drove with panache enroute to an eye-catching fifty.
But Kerala struck back in the final session to draw level. Ankit had Prabhudessai caught at short leg and then skimmed one through Kasvankar’s defence to castle him.
The 34-year-old completed his fifer with the dismissal of Arjun Tendulkar with what turned out to be the final ball of the day’s play.
The scores:
Goa — 1st innings: Suyash Prabhudessai c Imran b Ankit 86, Kashyap Bakhale lbw b Ankit 12, Abhinav Tejrana c Nidheesh b Ankit 1, Snehal Kauthankar c Baby b Basil 29, Lalit Yadav c Krishna b Basil 21, Yash Kasvankar b Ankit 50, Darshan Misal c Kunnummal b Baby 22, Arjun Tendulkar c Krishna b Ankit 36, Samar Dubhashi (batting) 11; Extras: (lb-6, nb-4, w-1): 11; Total (for eight wkts. in 83.4 overs): 279.
Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-37, 3-92, 4-123, 5-183, 6-221, 7-244, 8-279.
Kerala bowling: Nidheesh 16-1-60-0, Basil 17-5-55-2, Ankit 33.4-4-88-5, Sreehari 7-0-29-0, Baby 9-1-36-1, Vinod 1-0-5-0.
Published on Jan 29, 2026
