Ranji Trophy semis: Padikkal powers Karnataka, Dogra makes history

Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy 2025‑26 semifinals on Monday delivered a thrilling blend of big runs, individual milestones and intriguing match situations across both venues. In the first semifinal at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, Karnataka completely dominated Uttarakhand by amassing a mammoth total of 689 for 6 by stumps, firmly seizing control of the match.

The backbone of this imposing score was Karnataka captain Devdutt Padikkal’s maiden first‑class double century , a marathon knock of 232 off 330 balls that featured patience and authority on a flat pitch. His innings came on the back of an already strong foundation laid on Day 1 by KL Rahul’s 141 , and was supported by a fluent unbeaten 121 from Ravichandran Smaran and useful contributions down the order, ensuring Karnataka bat deep into the second day and leave Uttarakhand with a huge target to chase.

While Karnataka’s batting milestone grabbed headlines, the other semifinal at Kalyani unfolded as an absorbing contest between Bengal and Jammu & Kashmir . Bengal were bowled out for 328 in their first innings , posting a competitive score that gave them the initiative. In reply, Jammu & Kashmir reached 198 for 5 by stumps , still trailing by 130 runs but showing resilience and intent against a disciplined Bengal attack.

Amid the day’s competitive play came a rare and historic achievement for domestic cricket: Paras Dogra of Jammu & Kashmir became only the second player in Ranji Trophy history to surpass 10,000 career runs , joining the legendary Wasim Jaffer in an elite list. Dogra’s fifty in the J&K innings was a key part of that milestone as his side fought back after early setbacks.

Bowling highlights came from Bengal’s Mohammed Shami , who made an impact with three important wickets, keeping the pressure on the visiting side and underlining his own red‑ball credentials in the semifinals.

As the tournament heads into Day 3 , Karnataka are in a commanding position against Uttarakhand, likely to enforce a substantial lead and push for a first‑innings advantage that could decide progress to the final. Meanwhile, the Bengal vs J&K tie is finely poised, with J&K looking to chip away at the deficit and stay competitive in a match that still has plenty of cricket left to be played.

With monumental individual efforts and significant team battles shaping up, Day 2 has set the stage for an exciting third day in both Ranji Trophy semifinals.