The third round of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season concluded on October 29 with several dominant performances, impressive individual displays and rain-affected
draws across the Elite and Plate Groups.
Mumbai, Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Saurashtra, Baroda and Tamil Nadu registered notable victories, while Musheer Khan, Mohammed Shami, Saransh Jain and Tanush Kotian emerged among the standout performers.
MUSHEER KHAN, TANUSH KOTIAN POWER MUMBAI TO ANOTHER WIN
Mumbai produced one of the most impressive performances of the round, defeating Haryana by 10 wickets to maintain their perfect record in the competition.
Musheer Khan made a significant impact with both bat and ball. The young all-rounder scored 109 in Mumbai's first innings and claimed eight wickets across the match. Tanush Kotian was equally impressive, finishing with 11 wickets in the contest, including career-best figures of 8/81 in Haryana's second innings.
After being bowled out for 270 in their first innings, Haryana were forced to follow on and managed 256 in their second attempt. Mumbai needed just 97 runs to win, with Angkrish Raghuvanshi scoring an unbeaten 67 to help seal a comprehensive victory.
BENGAL CONTINUE WINNING RUN WITH DOMINANT KERALA VICTORY
Bengal registered their third consecutive outright victory after crushing Kerala by 287 runs.
Bengal posted 350 in their first innings before bowling Kerala out for 141, securing a substantial first-innings lead. The visitors then scored 198 in their second innings to set Kerala a challenging target of 408.
Kerala's batting line-up struggled again and was dismissed for 120, handing Bengal a commanding victory.
Mohammed Shami and Pradipta Pramanik played crucial roles with the ball, with Bengal's bowling attack proving too strong for the hosts. Pramanik finished with 10 wickets in the match, while Shami also delivered a decisive performance.
SARANSH JAIN'S 13-WICKET HAUL LEADS MADHYA PRADESH TO VICTORY
Madhya Pradesh secured their first win of the season by defeating Bihar by an innings and 174 runs.
Bihar were dismissed for just 99 in their first innings, with Saransh Jain claiming seven wickets. Madhya Pradesh responded with 407/8 declared, powered by Saksham Purohit's 132 and captain Rajat Patidar's 109.
Bihar struggled again in their second innings and were bowled out for 134, with Jain taking another six wickets to finish with a remarkable match haul of 13 wickets.
The result handed Madhya Pradesh seven points and left Bihar searching for their first win after three successive defeats.
VIDARBHA, SAURASHTRA AND KARNATAKA RECORD COMMANDING WINS
Vidarbha continued their impressive start to the season by defeating Goa by an innings and 27 runs.
After Goa made 220 in their first innings, Vidarbha declared at 442/8, gaining a substantial advantage. Goa managed only 195 in their second innings, with Harsh Dubey taking four wickets. Dhruv Shorey's 167 earned him the Player of the Match award.
Saurashtra also secured an innings victory, defeating Assam by an innings and 12 runs. After scoring 387 in their first innings, Saurashtra bowled Assam out for 281 and then dismissed them for just 94 in the second innings. Parth Bhut claimed 10 wickets in the match, while Ravindra Jadeja also contributed with the ball.
Meanwhile, Karnataka finally registered their first outright victory of the season, beating Tripura by an innings and 116 runs. Karnataka declared at 490/9 after a strong batting performance, before Shreyas Gopal claimed five wickets to bowl Tripura out for 180 in their second innings.
TAMIL NADU CHASE DOWN RAILWAYS TARGET
Tamil Nadu defeated Railways by five wickets in a low-scoring Elite Group D contest.
Railways scored 184 in their first innings, while Tamil Nadu replied with 165. Railways were then dismissed for 108 in their second innings, leaving Tamil Nadu with a target of 128.
C Andre Siddarth remained unbeaten on 56 to guide Tamil Nadu home. R Sai Kishore was instrumental in the victory, taking seven wickets in the match.
BARODA, MANIPUR ALSO CELEBRATE VICTORIES
Baroda secured an innings-and-135-run victory over Goa after posting 472/8 declared in their first innings. Goa managed 199 and 138 across their two innings.
In the Plate Group, Manipur defeated Arunachal Pradesh by four wickets after successfully chasing a target of 180. Ronald Longjam remained unbeaten on 70, while captain Langlonyamba Meitan Keishangbam contributed 51. Jotin Pheiroijam was rewarded for his outstanding first-innings 166 with the Player of the Match award.
RAIN AND DRAWS DENY SEVERAL TEAMS OUTRIGHT WINS
Several teams had to settle for draws despite producing impressive batting performances.
Defending champions Jammu and Kashmir drew against Baroda after being asked to follow on, while Uttar Pradesh and Puducherry also played out a draw.
Punjab and Hyderabad shared the honours after Punjab declared their second innings at 240/6. Andhra and Chhattisgarh also drew their encounter.
In Elite Group C, Delhi's match against Jharkhand ended in a draw after persistent rain disrupted play. Odisha and Services also shared the points, while Gujarat and Maharashtra finished their contest without an outright result.
Chandigarh's high-scoring encounter against Himachal Pradesh ended in a draw, with both sides producing substantial first-innings totals. Rajasthan and Uttarakhand also played out a draw, although Rajasthan secured the first-innings advantage.
In the Plate Group, Meghalaya and Mizoram shared the points, as did Nagaland and Sikkim.
ROUND 3 DELIVERS PLENTY Of TALKING POINTS
The third round offered a glimpse of the depth and competitiveness of India's domestic first-class cricket. Mumbai continued their winning run, Bengal strengthened their position with another commanding performance, and Vidarbha maintained their unbeaten start.
Musheer Khan's all-round contribution, Saransh Jain's remarkable 13-wicket haul and Shami's impact for Bengal were among the defining performances of the round.
With the competition moving towards its next round in November, teams will look to build on their performances, strengthen their positions in the standings and keep their hopes of progressing further alive.
