Ranji Trophy 2025-26, Round 5: Centurion Smaran, Karun give Karnataka strong start against Chandigarh on Day 1

As if he’d been programmed to, Ravichandran Smaran continued to score runs on autopilot (110 batting, 184b, 11×4, 1×6) as Karnataka reached 298 for five after electing to bat on the opening day of its Elite Group-B fifth-round Ranji Trophy match versus Chandigarh at the KSCA Stadium in Hubballi on Sunday.

Karun Nair scored 95 runs (164b, 12×4, 1×6), and along with Smaran, added 119 for the fourth-wicket stand.

He was, however, dropped on 12 by Raj Bawa off Nishunk at mid-on.

Smaran cover-drove with remarkable precision, redirecting the ball to the extra-cover boundary. The stroke yielded him six fours — four off spin, and two off pace.

He straight-drove pacer Jagjit Singh Sandhu and flicked off-spinner Vishu Kashyap to square leg for a couple of fours, and then pulled Vishu again for a six over midwicket — all with no fuss.

Ranji Trophy Round 5, Day 1 | As it happened

Cut, charge, or sweep, Karun sought boundaries regularly. Arriving at the crease to a warm reception from the small audience, he got off the mark with back-to-back fours off Jagjit — a cover drive and an on-drive, both as sublime as his current form.

He brought up his team’s fifty with a down-the-track straight six off left-arm spinner Nishunk Birla, his own fifty with a straight-drive four off left-arm spinner Taranpreet Singh, and his side’s 150 with a cover-drive four off Taranpreet again.

He swept, cut, and reverse-swept twice to collect four fours off Vishu. There was a delicately guided cut for a four off Nishunk as well. Karun was finally trapped leg before by Taranpreet, with a low shooter on the back foot.

Published on Nov 16, 2025