Ranji Trophy 2025/26
Lucknow, Feb 16: Captain Devdutt Padikkal struck a career-best 232 as Karnataka piled up a massive 689 for six against Uttarakhand on the second day of their Ranji Trophy semi-final on Monday.
Resuming at 355 for two, Karnataka tightened their grip with Padikkal and Karun Nair (60) adding 129 runs for the third wicket. Padikkal, who was unbeaten on 148 overnight, brought up his maiden first-class double hundred in 288 balls, laced with 29 fours and three sixes, before edging Lakshya Raichandani behind.
Ravichandran Smaran complemented his skipper with a fluent unbeaten 121 off 191 balls (11 fours). After a brief wobble at 485 for five, Smaran stitched a 123-run stand with Kruthik Krishna (60) to frustrate Uttarakhand further. Even after that partnership was broken, Smaran found support in Vidyadhar Patil (35 batting) as the duo added an unbroken 81 runs.
With KL Rahul’s 141 on the opening day laying the foundation, Karnataka now sit firmly in command, leaving Uttarakhand with a mountain to climb.
With 689 on the board and wickets in hand, Karnataka have batted Uttarakhand out of the contest for the moment, turning the semifinal into a stern examination of endurance and temperament for the opposition. The massive total, built on the commanding knocks of Devdutt Padikkal and Ravichandran Smaran and set up by KL Rahul on the opening day, now gives Karnataka’s bowlers the freedom to attack without restraint. For Uttarakhand, the task ahead is less about chasing the game immediately and more about survival — batting long, absorbing pressure, and attempting to claw their way back into relevance. The pitch has shown little demons so far, but scoreboard pressure in a knockout fixture can weigh heavier than any variable bounce. (PTI)
