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A heavyweight clash is set to kick off the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season as domestic powerhouses and former champions Karnataka and Saurashtra face off in a Group-B encounter here on Wednesday.
The home side enters the contest after a forgettable end to its previous campaign, where it suffered a heavy innings-and-98-run loss to Gujarat in the quarterfinal. Despite the challenges of a transitional phase, the hosts clawed their way into the knockout stages, thanks to a spirited young core.
The visitor, on the other hand, endured an inconsistent season. Though they managed 19 points, erratic performances dashed their knockout hopes.
The lone bright spot was a commanding innings-and-207-run thrashing of Punjab, highlighted by a sublime double hundred from 22-year-old R. Smaran, a rising star in the side’s batting line-up.
This season, Karnataka’s prospects have received a major boost with the homecoming of Karun Nair. After three prolific years with Vidarbha — during which he amassed a mountain of runs and played a pivotal role in the title triumph — Karun returns to his roots.
The narrative around his comeback gained momentum when the universe aligned with his heartfelt plea to ‘Dear Cricket,’ granting him a long-awaited return to the Indian Test side during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy — eight years after his last appearance.
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Although his red-ball comeback yielded modest returns, his presence in the Karnataka setup adds experience and much-needed stability to the middle order.
For Saurashtra, leadership rests in the seasoned hands of Jaydev Unadkat.
The experienced left-arm seamer — who has twice led the team to Ranji glory — remains pivotal, both as captain and spearhead of the bowling attack.
With a few senior players walking into the sunset, responsibility now shifts to the next generation, and young talents such as Harvik Desai, Tarang Gohel, and Chetan Sakariya are expected to step up.
Published on Oct 14, 2025
