Ranji Trophy 2026-27: Karnataka polishes off Assam in no time, claims bonus point

After seizing a sizeable advantage over the first two days, Karnataka wrapped up proceedings in style with an innings and 314-run win over Assam on day three of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match at the ACA Stadium here on Wednesday.

After declaring on 577 for six, the visitor bowled out the host for 128 to secure the bonus point. With the result, Karnataka jumped to the top of the table with 16 points while Assam remained in sixth with seven points.

Earlier, the home side got off to the perfect start, getting rid of centurion K.V. Aneesh for 145 in the second over of the day. At the other end, Manvanth Kumar battered the Assam bowlers with his free-flowing strokes. The southpaw used his feet to neutralise the turn and hit four sixes, expertly targeting the region past the bowler.

Manvanth reached his second century in three games off just 108 balls before Assam was asked to bat again, with a mammoth 442-run deficit to overhaul. The task grew further out of Assam’s reach after Vidwath Kaverappa trapped Pradyun Saikia lbw in the opening over, claiming the first wicket by a pacer in the contest.

Manvanth followed up his batting exploits by nabbing Sumit. Karnataka tightened its stranglehold in the second session, as Shreyas Gopal made inroads off consecutive balls in the first over after the break. Captain Denish Das was the only Assam batter to score a fifty.

But his dismissal in the 39th over proved to be the final nail in the coffin as Karnataka cleaned up the last three wickets without conceding a run. Shreyas finished with four wickets (four for 34) while Shikhar Shetty accounted for three more to register an eight-wicket match haul (eight for 86).

Karnataka — 1st innings: Rohan Patil c Sibsankar b Amlanjyoti 89, Mayank Agarwal c Denish b Mohit 72, K.L. Shrijith lbw b Amlanjyoti 19, K.V. Aneesh c Sumit b Roshan 145, Karun Nair lbw b Roshan 21, Aneeshwar Gautam lbw b Roshan 83, Manvanth Kumar (not out) 100, Shreyas Gopal (not out) 31; Extras (b-6, lb-7, nb-3, w-1): 17; Total (for six wkts.

decl. in 133.2 overs): 577. Fall of wickets: 1-129, 2-157, 3-207, 4-253, 5-401, 6-502. Assam bowling: Mukhtar 18-2-71-0, Mohit 25-3-92-1, Amlanjyoti 38-4-132-2, Hridip 10-0-58-0, Sarupam 3-0-19-0, Roshan 34-3-176-3, Denish 5.2-0-16-0.

Assam — 2nd innings: Nibir Deka c Karun b Shreyas 9, Pradyun Saikia lbw b Kaverappa 0, Sumit Ghadigaonkar c Shreyas b Manvanth 6, Denish Das b Shikhar 50, Sibsankar Roy b Shreyas 0, Sarupam Purkayastha c Karun b Shikhar 22, Amlanjyoti Das c Kaverappa b Shreyas 17, Roshan Alam c (sub) b Shreyas 5, Mukhtar Hussain c Rohan b Ritesh 6, Mohit Thakur (not out) 0, Hridip Deka st.

Shrijith b Shikhar 0; Extras (b-12, nb-1): 13; Total (in 40.2 overs): 128. Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-13, 3-24, 4-24, 5-64, 6-93, 7-103, 8-128, 9-128. Karnataka bowling: Kaverappa 4-1-9-1, Shikhar 16.2-4-33-3, Manvanth 2-1-5-1, Shreyas 11-3-34-4, Ritesh 7-0-35-1.