Ranji Trophy | Karnataka still in command despite Ajith Ram’s heroics

Despite Ajith Ram's five-wicket haul, Karnataka is on track for a big win against Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy match.

Despite Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner S. Ajith Ram’s five-wicket haul in the second innings, Karnataka is on course for a big win, having set the host a huge target of 355 at the end of day three of the Elite Group C Ranji Trophy match here at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday. 

TN resumed the day on 129 for seven in its first innings and got bundled out for a paltry 151 – same as what Devdutt Padikkal alone managed – as Karnataka pacer V. Vyshak (four for 26) struck thrice in as many overs to help his side secure a healthy 215-run lead. 

After choosing not to enforce the follow-on, the visitor managed only 139 in its second essay, with Ajith Ram (five for 61) running through the side. But with a 354-run lead, Mayank Agarwal’s men will feel they have more than enough on a pitch that is getting harder to bat on and offering a lot of help to the spinners.

At stumps, TN was on 36 for one in its second innings, losing the in-form N. Jagadeesan, caught at slip going for a booming drive to an away-swinger from Vyshak. 

Earlier, Ajith Ram again looked like TN’s best bowler, showcasing all his variations to run through the Karnataka line-up. First, he breached Agarwal’s defence to peg back his leg stump, then bowled Manish Pandey with a quicker delivery and before castling Kishan Bedare with a delivery turned sharply away from the right-hander. 

The 25-year-old scalped his third five-wicket haul of his career and finished with match figures of nine for 136. Padikkal once again looked largely untroubled and made a quick 36 before Pradosh Ranjan Paul dismissed him for the second time in this match, with Vyshak chipping in with a vital unbeaten 22 to take his side’s lead past 350.

With 319 runs more needed, the home team will need one or two of its batters to get big scores to even attempt to draw the game and salvage a point from this encounter.