Standout Stars of Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Round Two: Batting and Bowling Highlights

The second round of the Ranji Trophy fixtures wrapped up on Tuesday, with intermittent rainfall impacting several matches across the country.

This round saw some remarkable performances from lesser-known teams. Nagaland showcased resilient batting against Tamil Nadu, securing a draw thanks to centuries from Dega Nischal and Imliwati Lemtur. Goa and Chhattisgarh also managed to earn a point each in their draws against Karnataka and Mumbai, respectively.

Top Performers from the Second Round of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy:

Prithvi Shaw
In an impressive display, former Mumbai batter Prithvi Shaw notched his first century since joining Maharashtra and went on to make it a double century during the second innings against Chandigarh. Shaw achieved the third-fastest double ton in the tournament’s history, leading his team to a 144-run victory.

Karun Nair
Karun Nair hit his 25th First-Class century during Karnataka’s game against Goa, marking his first ton since rejoining the team from Vidarbha. Nair steadied the innings with a 267-ball 174 after early setbacks, helping his team reach 371. Despite this effort, Nair was recently left out of India’s Test squad against the West Indies after average performances in England earlier this year.

Pradosh Ranjan Paul
Tamil Nadu’s Pradosh Ranjan Paul scored his maiden First-Class double century in a match against Nagaland in Bengaluru. Averaging over 50 in his 28 First-Class matches so far, Paul’s robust form could soon earn him a recall to the India A setup.

Auqib Nabi
Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi impressed with ten wickets and a fifty in his team’s innings victory over Rajasthan in Srinagar. This marked his third ten-wicket haul in 33 First-Class games, lowering his bowling average to 20.10. Despite missing out on the India A squad for matches against South Africa A, Nabi’s performances include a five-wicket haul against Mumbai in the previous round and another for North Zone in the Duleep Trophy.

Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami took a five-wicket haul in the second innings to steer Bengal to a 141-run win over Gujarat, securing their second consecutive win in the Ranji Trophy. Shami, who picked up three wickets in the first innings for a total of eight in the match, thwarted a potential comeback by Gujarat as he cleaned up the tail once Urvil Patel was briefly sidelined due to cramp.

Shahbaz Ahmed
Shahbaz Ahmed’s six-wicket haul in the first innings was crucial in Bengal securing a first-innings lead against Gujarat in Kolkata. Although Gujarat captain Manan Hingrajia provided resistance, Shahbaz’s incisive bowling dismantled the middle and lower order. Ahmed also added a useful 20 runs with the bat in the second innings.

Published on Oct 28, 2025.