Vidarbha won the Ranji Trophy title for the third time despite drawing with Kerala in the final

Vidarbha were declared the champions of Ranji Trophy 2024/25 after the final match against Kerala ended in a draw on the fifth day at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur. Vidarbha were declared the winners of the final and champions of the domestic premier tournament owing to their 37-run lead in the first innings. 21-year-old star Danish Malewar batted brilliantly in both the innings. He scored 153 runs in Vidarbha’s opening innings when Kerala put them in to bat and the team scored 379 runs. In the second innings, Malewar once again played his part and helped his team gain the lead. Malewar scored 73 runs and Vidarbha scored 375/9 in the second innings. Their lead was 412 runs and just when the result looked impossible, the players joined hands for a stalemate. Vidarbha resumed play on the last day with a lead of 286 runs from 249/4. The pair of overnight centurion Karun Nair and captain Akshay Wadkar once again held the innings together. There was no run at the start of the day and when Nair tried to score runs, he was stumped out at 135. Kerala hoped that they would get the remaining five wickets as well.

They dismissed Harsh Dubey and captain Wadkar in the next 13 overs to reduce Vidarbha to seven wickets. However, Akshay Karnewar and Darshan Nalkande did well in time and frustrated the Kerala bowlers. They took the lead past 400 and the lead slipped out of Kerala’s hands. After Nalkande’s half-century, the players shook hands and the game ended in a draw.

Danish Malewar was adjudged the Player of the Match for scoring 153 and 73 runs in two innings. Harsh Dubey, who bowled brilliantly this season, was adjudged the Player of the Tournament. Dubey took 68 wickets and broke the record for most wickets in a Ranji Trophy season.