On a surface offering little assistance for bowlers, Kerala finished the day at 206 for 4, with captain Sachin Baby anchoring the innings with an unbeaten half-century.
Kerala’s approach on this attritional day in Ahmedabad appeared cautious, likely due to recent batting collapses, including a narrow escape in the quarter-finals against Jammu & Kashmir. In that match, Kerala was reduced to 200 for 9 but managed a crucial 81-run last-wicket partnership to take the lead.
The opening pair of Akshay Chandran and Rohan Kunnummal put on 60 runs in 20.4 overs before Kerala lost three quick wickets for just 26 runs. Chandran was run out for 30, and Kunnummal was trapped lbw for 30 after playing down the wrong line to a delivery from Ravi Bishnoi.
In a bid to stabilize the innings, Kerala promoted Varun Nayanar to No. 3 in place of Shoun Roger. Nayanar saw off a challenging period but was dismissed for 10, caught behind off seamer Priyajitsing Jadeja, who had been instrumental in Saurashtra’s collapse during the quarter-finals.
The post-lunch session turned into a battle for survival rather than run-scoring, as Jalaj Saxena and Baby put on a 71-run partnership over 27.5 overs. Saxena, who scored 30, was eventually bowled by left-arm seamer Arzan Nagwaswalla, who found a gap in his defence.
Baby, having reached his first half-century since the resumption of the Ranji Trophy, dug in and continued to bat steadily with Mohammed Azharuddeen as they saw out the final hour of play without further loss.
Gujarat’s bowlers, despite limited help from the pitch, were disciplined throughout. Bishnoi was the standout bowler, finishing with figures of 1 for 33 from 15 overs, as his quicker deliveries caused the batters to hesitate. The other bowlers, particularly the fast bowlers, were accurate but lacked the pace to trouble the batters significantly.
