Ranji Trophy quarter-finals - teams in the fray, players to watch, and much more
Your ready reckoner for the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals, to be played in Pune, Nagpur, Kolkata and Rajkot from Saturday
ESPNcricinfo staff
07-Feb-2025
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Shardul Thakur has been phenomenal for Mumbai with bat and ball • PTI
The Ranji Trophy 2024-25 knockouts start on Saturday with the four quarter-finals. Here's a quick primer.
Fixtures
Jammu & Kashmir vs Kerala in Pune, from 9.30am ISTVidarbha vs Tamil Nadu in Nagpur, from 9.30am IST
Haryana vs Mumbai in Kolkata, from 9am IST
Saurashtra vs Gujarat in Rajkot, from 9.30am IST
The J&K vs Kerala quarter-final was shifted out of Jammu because of concerns over ground conditions following a harsh winter, while the Haryana vs Mumbai game was moved from Lahli to Kolkata by the BCCI without furnishing a reason. Normally, like in the case of the other games, the team placed higher after the group stage gets to host the quarter-finals.
How they got here: J&K topped Elite Group A with five wins in seven games, including one over Mumbai, the 42-time and defending champions. Kerala, meanwhile, finished second behind Haryana - by just a point, but a vastly superior net run-rate - in Elite Group C.
Top performers
J&K
Shubham Khajuria - 663 runs in 12 innings at an average of 55.25 with a top score of 255
Auqib Nabi - 38 wickets in 13 innings at an average of 13.44 with a best of 6 for 54
J&K
Shubham Khajuria - 663 runs in 12 innings at an average of 55.25 with a top score of 255
Auqib Nabi - 38 wickets in 13 innings at an average of 13.44 with a best of 6 for 54
Kerala
Salman Nizar - 399 runs in eight innings at an average of 66.50 with a top score of 150
Jalaj Saxena - 33 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 14.81 with a best of 6 for 41
Salman Nizar - 399 runs in eight innings at an average of 66.50 with a top score of 150
Jalaj Saxena - 33 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 14.81 with a best of 6 for 41
Keep an eye on… The three J&K quicks, Auqib Nabi, Yudhvir Singh and Umar Nazir
How they got here: Vidarbha was the standout team in the group stage, scoring 40 points - five clear of the next best, J&K - with six wins in seven games in Elite Group B. The one that got away was Gujarat, but that too could have gone their way with a bit more time. Tamil Nadu have the bonus points system to thank for their place in the knockouts. They won three of their seven games in Elite Group D, the same as group-toppers Saurashtra, but third-placed Chandigarh actually won four games. That said, Tamil Nadu lost just one game, while Chandigarh lost three.
Top performers
Vidarbha
Yash Rathod - 603 runs in 12 innings at an average of 50.25 with a top score of 135
Akshay Wadkar - 556 runs in 12 innings at an average of 55.60 with a top score of 139
Harsh Dubey - 55 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 14.50 with a best of 6 for 36 (he is the top wicket-taker in the competition so far, 17 ahead of second-placed Nabi)
Vidarbha
Yash Rathod - 603 runs in 12 innings at an average of 50.25 with a top score of 135
Akshay Wadkar - 556 runs in 12 innings at an average of 55.60 with a top score of 139
Harsh Dubey - 55 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 14.50 with a best of 6 for 36 (he is the top wicket-taker in the competition so far, 17 ahead of second-placed Nabi)
Tamil Nadu
N Jagadeesan - 634 runs in 11 innings at an average of 63.40 with a top score of 118 not out
C Andre Siddarth - 532 runs in ten innings at an average of 76.00 with a top score of 106
Vijay Shankar - 449 runs in nine innings at an average of 64.14 with a top score of 150 not out
S Ajith Ram - 31 wickets in nine innings at an average of 17.12 with a best of 5 for 34
N Jagadeesan - 634 runs in 11 innings at an average of 63.40 with a top score of 118 not out
C Andre Siddarth - 532 runs in ten innings at an average of 76.00 with a top score of 106
Vijay Shankar - 449 runs in nine innings at an average of 64.14 with a top score of 150 not out
S Ajith Ram - 31 wickets in nine innings at an average of 17.12 with a best of 5 for 34
Keep an eye on… The batters from either side - there's a lot of firepower there - and Dubey, the 22-year-old left-arm spinner is clearly special. Not to forget Karun Nair, who has had a sensational List A season with Vidarbha and hasn't been too shabby in the Ranji Trophy either.
How they got here: Haryana did just about enough to top Elite Group C, with 29 points to second-placed Kerala's 28, both teams winning three and drawing four. Mumbai, for a while, looked like they might not make the knockouts, but they had a party against Meghalaya in their final game, winning by an innings and 456 runs, to get past Baroda, who lost their last game to J&K.
Top performers
Haryana
Himanshu Rana - 424 runs from 11 innings at an average of 42.40 with a top score of 114
Ankit Kumar - 427 runs from 12 innings at an average of 38.81 with a top score of 118
Anshul Kamboj - 29 wickets in ten innings at an average of 11.75 with a best of 10 for 49
Haryana
Himanshu Rana - 424 runs from 11 innings at an average of 42.40 with a top score of 114
Ankit Kumar - 427 runs from 12 innings at an average of 38.81 with a top score of 118
Anshul Kamboj - 29 wickets in ten innings at an average of 11.75 with a best of 10 for 49
Mumbai
Siddhesh Lad - 518 runs from eight innings at an average of 86.33 with a top score of 169 not out
Ayush Mhatre - 413 runs from ten innings at an average of 41.30 with a top score of 176; Shardul Thakur - 381 runs from eight innings at an average of 47.62 with a top score of 119 and 24 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 23.95 with a best of 4 for 43
Shams Mulani - 34 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 23.00 with a best of 6 for 115
Siddhesh Lad - 518 runs from eight innings at an average of 86.33 with a top score of 169 not out
Ayush Mhatre - 413 runs from ten innings at an average of 41.30 with a top score of 176; Shardul Thakur - 381 runs from eight innings at an average of 47.62 with a top score of 119 and 24 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 23.95 with a best of 4 for 43
Shams Mulani - 34 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 23.00 with a best of 6 for 115
Keep an eye on… Shardul Thakur - he could well be in the fray when India play Test cricket next, in England in June
How they got here: Saurashtra topped Elite Group D narrowly after the top three - Tamil Nadu and Chandigarh - were tied on points, while Gujarat finished a distant second to Vidarbha in Elite Group B after winning four and drawing three.
Top performers
Saurashtra
Harvik Desai - 511 runs in ten innings at an average of 56.77 with a top score of 155
Chirag Jani - 486 runs in ten innings at an average of 54.00 with a top score of 198
Dharmendrasinh Jadeja - 35 wickets in 12 innings at an average of 20.40 with a best of 6 for 51
Saurashtra
Harvik Desai - 511 runs in ten innings at an average of 56.77 with a top score of 155
Chirag Jani - 486 runs in ten innings at an average of 54.00 with a top score of 198
Dharmendrasinh Jadeja - 35 wickets in 12 innings at an average of 20.40 with a best of 6 for 51
Gujarat
Manan Hingrajia - 487 runs in 11 innings at an average of 44.27 with a top score of 181
Siddharth Desai - 33 wickets in 12 innings at an average of 23.06 with a best of 9. For 36
Manan Hingrajia - 487 runs in 11 innings at an average of 44.27 with a top score of 181
Siddharth Desai - 33 wickets in 12 innings at an average of 23.06 with a best of 9. For 36
Keep an eye on… If Cheteshwar Pujara is playing, it has to be him. But there's a lot talent scattered across these two line-ups demanding attention
How to follow
All the four games are going to be streamed on JioCinema. You can get all the latest updates on ESPNcricinfo as usual, too. But if you are in Pune, Nagpur, Kolkata or Rajkot, why not hop across and watch it live, at least over the weekend?10