Shahbaz Ahmed Reacts to Bengal’s Thumping 287-Run Victory Over Kerala
Shahbaz Ahmed’s flexibility earned him the Player of the Match award. The left-hander scored his third First-Class century in 121 balls, anchoring Bengal’s recovery in the first innings with eight fours and four sixes. He concluded with figures of 4/41, having taken 2/22 in Kerala’s first innings and 2/19 in the second.
After recovering from a knee injury sustained during the Duleep Trophy, Shahbaz Ahmed discussed his all-round involvement in Bengal’s overwhelming victory.
The left-hander acknowledged the team’s collective effort as well as the challenging conditions the batsmen faced at the venue.
Bengal won the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C by a massive 287 runs on October 26-29, 2026, at the KCA Cricket Ground in Thiruvananthapuram. Bengal recovered from 108 for five in the first innings to produce 350, a total that proved decisive in the four-day match. Kerala’s bid to reach the mark of 408 failed, as they only scored 198 in their second innings.
What role did Pradipta Pramanik play in Bengal’s emphatic win?
Pradipta Pramanik bowled brilliantly to win his maiden 10-wicket match in maiden Class cricket. The spinners combined for 10/95 during the match, with 6/51 in Kerala’s second innings and 4/44 in their first. On the last day, when the hosts failed in their chase, Pramanik, playing in his 19th First Class match, dismissed Kerala captain Vishnu Vinod for 19.
Pramanik, an orthodox left-arm bowler, ascribed his success to accurate line and length execution on a turning pitch.
Why did Bengal’s coach chose not to enforce the follow-on?
Bengal’s decision-making was critical to victory. Despite Kerala’s low first-innings total of 141, coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla opted to bat again rather than imposing the follow-on. Shukla prioritized bowler relaxation and maintaining the venue’s humidity levels over chasing the extra incentive.
Mohammed Shami, a seasoned bowler, tremendously assisted Bengal’s bowling attack. In the first innings, he took three wickets; in the second, two.
Sumanta Gupta scored 49 runs in Bengal’s first innings, while Ankur Paul scored 66. Abhimanyu Easwaran scored 47 runs, Sudip Chatterjee 34, and Shami 26 in the second innings. During Kerala’s second-innings chase, Mohammed Azharuddeen scored 26 off 44 balls with three boundaries and MD Nidheesh scored 33 off 28 deliveries with five fours and a six, but their efforts were inadequate to overcome Bengal’s bowling attack.
Bengal triumphed for the third match in a row this season, giving them an 18-point lead in Elite Group C. In his game review, Shahbaz Ahmed praised the team’s collective strength, which was demonstrated by the team’s balanced batting and bowling efforts.
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