The KAR vs JK clash in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Final seems to be going Jammu and Kashmir’s way as they take control on the third day. Multiple players have left their mark in this game, in what would be their biggest opportunity to impress the India team management for a potential Test future.
At the end of day 3, Jammu and Kashmir were 364 runs ahead, having reduced Karnataka to 220/5 in the first innings. Here we bring you the full round-up of Karnataka vs Jammu and Kashmir Ranji Trophy 2025-26 final.
The biggest red-ball fixture in Indian domestic cricket had some quality performances from both sides.
After Jammu and Kashmir won the toss and opted to bat first, Shubham Pundir came in at three with only 18 runs on the board. The 27-year old, who had hit 165 against Himachal not long ago, delivered yet again. He controlled the innings alongside Yawer Hassan, putting up a 139-run stand for the second wicket. Pundir went on to bat for 247 balls, scoring 121 runs with 12 fours and two sixes.
The reason Jammu and Kashmir were able to pile on a massive score of 584 was that they had several batters stepping up. Apart from Pundir’s century, they had five batters crossing the fifty-run mark, including the Gujarat Titans star Abdul Samad.
Opening batter Yawer Hassan made 88 off 150, and added a crucial partnership with Pundir. His knock included 12 boundaries before getting dismissed by Prasidh Krishna. Captain Paras Dogra was retired hurt on 9 but came back later to make 70.
Abdul Samad also looked solid at the crease, hitting 61 runs in 104 deliveries, including six fours and a maximum. Kanhaiya Wadhawan (70) and Sahil Lotra (70) also made life harder for Karnataka bowlers.
India’s seamer, who was omitted from the previous Test series against South Africa, picked up a five-wicket haul. He had to grind for these wickets, conceding 98 runs in 34.5 overs. No other Karnataka bowler was able to bag more than one scalp.
Auqib Nabi, who was picked up by Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2026 auction, continued his dream run of form in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 final. The batting unit had done its job. Now it was bowlers’ turn to deliver.
Nabi ran through the Karnataka top order, which included some stalwarts. The right-arm seamer had Indian Test opener KL Rahul caught behind with a peach of a delivery. He then went on to remove Karun Nair and Ravichandran Smaran.
Back-to-back rippers 🔥
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) February 26, 2026
Karun Nair ✅
Smaran Ravichandran ✅
Auqib Nabi and J&K are on a roll in the Final 👌
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/G0ytZLEyNB@IDFCFIRSTBank | #RanjiTrophy pic.twitter.com/r9QAH28O8f
When the wickets were tumbling at the other end, former RCB star Mayank Agarwal turned up as the lone fighter for Karnataka. The out-of-favour India batter held the one end, and added vital partnerships with Shreyas Gopal and Kruthik Krishna.
Mayank played an outstanding knock of 130 off 207 deliveries, laced with 17 fours. He was unbeaten at the end of day’s play, and will have a chance to add on to his score tomorrow.
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India opener KL Rahul registered centuries in the quarterfinals and semifinals but couldn’t repeat the heroics in the first innings of the final. He batted for 39 deliveries and made 13 runs.
Just when it looked like Karnataka had dealt with the new-ball threat, Rahul received a pearler of a delivery from Auqib Nabi. Short of a good length delivery pitched just around off stump and moving away, Rahul could do nothing to nick it to the keeper. The Delhi Capitals star will have another opportunity in the second innings to make up for it.
Karnataka captain also could not occupy the crease for long as he was dismissed in the 17th over. Sunil Kumar sent him back with a back of a length delivery in the channel. The RCB batter could make only 11 runs.
Another Karnataka stalwart, who has piled on runs over the last few years, had an off day here. He followed his captain back to the pavilion in the very next over, getting cleaned up by Nabi for a duck.
The Sunrisers Hyderabad young prodigy Ravichandran Smaran could not show his mettle in the Ranji Trophy final, getting dismissed without opening his account. Smaran was caught behind for a golden duck.
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