Mayank Markande’s six-wicket haul and Gurnoor Brar’s three-wicket contribution propelled Punjab to a first-innings lead over Kerala in the Ranji Trophy match at the KCA-St. Xavier’s College ground on Sunday.
Markande, known for his guile and control, exploited the variable bounce of the track to bamboozle the Kerala batters. He dismissed opener Rohan Kunnummal, captain Sachin Baby, and Aditya Sarwate with precise deliveries that exposed their indecision.
Brar, introduced late into the attack, made an immediate impact. He broke the promising stand between Akshay Chandran and Jalaj Saxena, inducing an edge from Chandran with a delivery that moved away. Saxena, who had started well, wasted his start by slapping a short ball from Brar to Anmolpreet Singh at mid-on.
Kerala’s middle order failed to provide any resistance, with Salman Nizar, Mohammed Azharuddeen, and Vishnu Vinod all falling cheaply. Markande returned to dismiss Sarwate and Basil Thampi off successive balls, giving Punjab a crucial 15-run lead.
In their second innings, Punjab lost three early wickets to Kerala’s spinners. However, the match remains evenly poised heading into the final day, with Punjab needing to bat cautiously to set up a challenging target for Kerala.
