Nagpur: It was a champions stuff from defending champions Vidarbha who decimated minnows Nagaland by an innings and 179 runs in their opening Group A Ranji Trophy match at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence Ground 2 in Bengaluru on Friday.
The win, which came with a day to spare, earned three-time title winners Vidarbha seven points, which included one bonus point. Vidarbha, who won the Irani Cup earlier this month, were dominant on all three days. After opener Aman Mokhade’s 183 in the first innings, which earned him the player of the match award, the bowlers strangled Nagaland as they claimed 17 wickets on Friday to canter home in style.
Gold Rate
18 Oct 2025
Resuming their 1st innings at 81-3, Nagaland’s Chetan Bisht and Nischal extended their fourth wicket partnership to 77 before the latter was sent back by Nachiket Bhute for 50. That wicket opened the floodgates and Nagaland were on their knees with only 171 on the board. Pacer Bhute claimed a five-for (5-34) while spinner Harsh Dubey picked two wickets for 40 as Nagaland lost six wickets for only 53 runs.
Vidarbha skipper Akshay Wadkar enforced the follow-on and Nagaland batsmen were thumped again with Dubey being the wrecker-in-chief with a four-for. Barring Chetan Bisht, who registered his second half-century of the match, no other Nagaland batsman could withstand the five-pronged Vidarbha bowling attack as their second innings folded for 113 in 46.3 overs.
Dubey (4-51), Darshan Nalkande (2-8) and Parth Rekhade (2-34) combined well to bring about Nagaland’s downfall. Vidarbha’s next match is against Jharkhand in Nagpur from October 25.
Scores:
VIDARBHA 1ST INNINGS 463
NAGALAND 1ST INNINGS 171
NAGALAND 2ND INNINGS 113
VIDARBHA won by an innings and 179 runs
