Kerala qualified for the final of the Ranji Trophy 2024-24 for the first time, as they achieved a narrow two-run first-innings lead over Gujarat. They achieved the dream on day 5 of the ongoing contest in Ahmedabad.
Arzan Nagwaswalla, Gujarat's No. 10 batsman, played a superb slog-sweep on Friday, with Ranji Trophy final qualification on the line. The ball ricocheted off Salman Nizar's helmet at silly point and dropped safely in the clutches of skipper Sachin Baby at first slip, essentially advancing Kerala to the final on the fifth morning of their semifinal match in Ahmedabad.
Watch the dismissal here:
With only 28 runs and three wickets left, Kerala's dependable players, Jalaj Saxena and Aditya Sarvate, stepped up to carry their adopted state team to their first Ranji Trophy final in 74 years, since the team first competed in the renowned event in 1951-52. In response to Kerala's 457, Gujarat was bowled out for 455 runs.
The bizarre dismissal helped Kerala secure their place in the final for the first time in their 352nd Ranji appearance.
The International Cricket Council implemented this style of dismissal in 2017, allowing players to be caught, stumped, or run out while wearing a close-in fielder's helmet.
Following Phillip Hughes' death, the review suggested that the highest quality helmets be made necessary for batters facing fast and medium-pace bowling, wicketkeepers standing up to the stumps, and fielders positioned near to the batter (excluding slips fielders).
The move came after the MCC's world cricket committee, which included Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara, and Sourav Ganguly, decided that catches and stumpings should be allowed after the ball struck a fielder's helmet.
“It is felt that balls rebounding off a fielder’s helmet could equally help or hinder the fielding side, and so the suggestion that rebounds off the helmet make catches easier should be disregarded,” the committee said in a statement.
Kerala had scored 457 runs thanks to 177 from Mohammed Azharudeen and fifties by Sachin Baby and Salman Nizar. Gujarat replied with 455 with Priyank Panchal scoring 148 and Aarya Desai and Jaymeet Patel scoring fifties.
Kerala has extended their lead to 69 runs at the time of writing this article scoring 67/2 in second innings.
(Indian Express inputs)
