Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 quarter-finals delivered high-quality performances across venues as all eight teams continued their push for a place in the semi-finals. Strong batting partnerships, crucial wickets, and a marathon double-century ensured the contest remained finely poised heading into the decisive stages of the knockout round.
At Mumbai, Karnataka stayed in contention against Mumbai thanks to a composed partnership between captain Devdutt Padikkal and KL Rahul. Mumbai, the most successful side in Ranji Trophy history, began the day with a 136-run lead and went on to post 377, setting Karnataka a target of 325 for victory.
Karnataka’s chase suffered an early setback when former skipper Mayank Agarwal fell cheaply. Agarwal had earlier stood tall with a vital 92 in the second innings, guiding Karnataka to 173 and securing a 53-run lead at a crucial juncture of the match. However, it was Rahul’s calm and unbeaten 60 that steadied the innings on Day 3. By stumps, he was joined by season’s leading run-scorer Karun Nair, keeping Karnataka’s hopes of a semi-final berth firmly alive.
In another quarter-final, Madhya Pradesh found themselves under pressure despite a strong bowling display earlier in the day against Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir resumed with a 126-run advantage but were bowled out for 248, thanks to a collective effort from Venkatesh Iyer, Kuldeep Sen, and Ramveer Singh Gurjar. Sen starred with four wickets, while Iyer and Gurjar claimed three each. Yet, Madhya Pradesh struggled with the bat later in the day and finished at 87/5, still needing 204 runs, with their chances of progression looking slim.
Meanwhile, Bengal seized control of their quarter-final against Andhra Pradesh through a monumental knock from No.3 batter Sudip Kumar Gharami. Resuming on 112, the 26-year-old went on to register his maiden double-hundred, eventually reaching 216. His innings stretched Bengal’s first-innings lead to 123 runs and took the team to 418/6 by stumps. Shakir Habib Gandhi, unbeaten on 45, provided able support as Bengal tightened their grip on the contest.
With momentum shifting across matches, Day 3 ensured the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals remain finely balanced, setting up an intense finish in the race for the final four.
