Jalaj Saxena took five wickets as Kerala bowled Odisha out for 143 on the final day, completing an innings-and-36-run Ranji Trophy win in Thiruvananthapuram. Mohammed Azharuddeen’s unbeaten 139 and Sachin Baby’s 112 had built Kerala’s 404, and Odisha were forced to follow on.
Thiruvananthapuram, India: Odisha won the toss on Sunday and chose to field at the Greenfield International Stadium. By Wednesday they had been beaten by an innings, undone first by two Kerala centuries and then by a bowling attack that kept the pressure on.
Azharuddeen and Baby set the terms
Kerala were bowled out for 404 in 129.3 overs, and the innings was built around two centuries. Azharuddeen, the wicketkeeper, finished unbeaten on 139 off 263 balls with 11 fours. Baby made 112 off 235 balls, hitting 11 fours and a six, and Aditya Sarwate added a brisk 53 off 77. Lalit Yadav was the pick of Odisha’s bowlers with 3 for 53.
Chandran and Sarwate force the follow-on
Odisha reached 225 in 84.1 overs, with Gaurav Choudhary and captain Subhranshu Senapati making 50 apiece. Vaisakh Chandran took 4 for 40 and Sarwate 3 for 56, with Saxena taking two and MD Nidheesh one. The 179-run deficit meant Odisha had to bat again immediately.
They did not last. Choudhary made 53 off 111 balls and Senapati 30, but Odisha were 102 for 4 at stumps on the third evening, still 77 runs short of making Kerala bat again. Saxena had already taken two for 15 in six overs.
Saxena closes it out
The last six wickets fell for 41 runs on the final day. Saxena finished with 5 for 34 from 18 overs, Sarwate took 2 for 45, and Odisha were all out for 143 in 58.3 overs.
Kerala’s first win of the season
The result was Kerala’s first victory of the 2026-27 season. They now turn to Bengal on 26 October, a side that arrives on the back of a 60-run win over Services at Palam in the same Elite Group C.
Result: Kerala 404 (Mohammed Azharuddeen 139*, Sachin Baby 112, Aditya Sarwate 53; Lalit Yadav 3/53) beat Odisha 225 (Gaurav Choudhary 50, Subhranshu Senapati 50; Vaisakh Chandran 4/40, Aditya Sarwate 3/56) and 143 (Gaurav Choudhary 53; Jalaj Saxena 5/34, Aditya Sarwate 2/45) by an innings and 36 runs. Ranji Trophy Elite Group C, Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, 18-21 October 2026.
