Vidarbha claimed their third Ranji Trophy title following an exciting final against Kerala, in a match filled with passion, skill and unforgettable moments that will live long in fans’ memories, as shown in the vidarbha cricket team vs kerala cricket team match scorecard.
Maharashtra were desperate for revenge after last season’s heartbreaking loss to Mumbai, led by Akshay Wadkar and supported by Danish Malewar and Karun Nair – they breezed through their group stage matches unbeaten before dispatching Tamil Nadu and Mumbai easily in the knockout rounds.
| Date | Match (Competition) | Result / Scorecard |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Feb – 2 Mar 2025 — Ranji Trophy Final | Vidarbha vs Kerala | Vidarbha: 379 & 375/9, Kerala: 342 — Drawn (Vidarbha won on first‑innings lead) (ESPN) |
| 04 – 07 Feb 2020 — Ranji Trophy (Elite Group A) | Vidarbha vs Kerala | Kerala vs Vidarbha — Vidarbha won that fixture. (ESPN Cricinfo) |
| 24 Jan 2019 — Ranji Trophy (Semi‑final / Knockout) | Vidarbha vs Kerala | Vidarbha won by an innings and 11 runs. (Wisden) |
| 07 Dec 2017 — Ranji Trophy (Group / Knockout) | Vidarbha vs Kerala | Vidarbha won by 412 runs. (Wikipedia) |
| 03 Nov 2011 — First‑class / Ranji Trophy | Vidarbha vs Kerala | Match drawn. (Wisden) |
Timeline
Vidarbha stunned cricket world by winning back-to-back Ranji titles in 2017-18 and 2018-19, this match meant more to them than simply being another final.
Following last season’s heart-wrenching loss in its final, captain Akshay Wadkar pledged redemption, which his team fulfilled.
They won six of seven group matches before going on to secure outright wins in both quarter-final and semi-final stages as young players such as Yash Rathod, Danish Malewar and spinner Harsh Dubey all proved themselves to be valuable assets during these triumphant performances.
This five-day final was full of drama. Kerala made an unexpected move by winning the toss and electing to field, but were soon put in their place by a coordinated Vidarbha attack led by Parth Rekhade and Harsh Dubey who ran through Kerala’s middle and lower order, taking down their score to 229/5 at tea.
Kerala found some hope on Day 2, as Karun Nair scored an outstanding 135 and added another 73 runs, but 379 was too much of a target to chase down. Eden Apple Tom and Aditya Sarwate contributed some runs but ultimately Kerala were defeated with an all-whitewash being declared.
On the third day, Vidarbha made short work of Kerala bowlers Dhruv Shorey and Darshan Nalkande’s bowling attack with Dhruv Shorey taking two wickets each en route to amassing an advantage of 37 runs for Vidarbha; therefore the fourth day became all about maintaining that edge.
Kerala’s batsmen struggled to capitalize on promising starts, and their inability to form big partnerships proved costly. Sachin Baby’s exit and top-order collapse shifted momentum significantly but they battled until the very end.
Vidarbha completed an incredible victory and secured their third title of all-time to become domestic powerhouses. Led by youngsters like Malewar and Dubey as well as experienced names like Nair, Vidarbha is an unstoppable force and will no doubt be watched closely by IPL scouts and selectors alike.
Matches
Kerala and Vidarbha faced off in the Ranji Trophy Elite Final of 2015 to compete for their respective first titles of Ranji Trophy cricket, playing at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. Both sides started strong by sharing an early first innings lead; but on final day one, Vidarbha won out due to having played more steadfast innings and eventually becoming champions – an accomplishment even more noteworthy than their prior victories!
Vidarbha and Kerala squared off in an exciting battle that produced some of the most riveting cricket of this season’s tournament. Both sides entered the final with great momentum after dominating their quarterfinal and semifinal opponents by large margins;
Vidarbha defeated Tamil Nadu and Mumbai while Kerala managed to overpower Jammu & Kashmir and Gujarat before reaching the final.
Day 2 of the final was an important one as both teams struggled to establish partnerships amid rain interruptions. Hosts Denmark Malewar and Karun Nair managed to build one such partnership thanks to an incredible marathon batting effort;
Nair’s 73-ball 132 displayed both defensive skills as well as precise shot making skills, making his performance truly extraordinary.
After tea break, both teams continued their fight despite rain-affected final day play and it came down to the wire. Kerala conceded a first innings lead of 37 runs against their visitors.
On the final day, Vidarbha displayed its superiority with both bat and ball. Their bowlers led by MD Nidheesh and Eden Apple Tom bowled with discipline on a pitch that offered variable bounce and turn, and spinner Harsh Dubey captured three wickets during the opening session to surpass Ashutosh Aman’s record of 69 wickets in one season and take control of the final.
Preparation
Vidarbha and Kerala are two of India’s fiercest domestic teams, regularly providing thrilling contests when they clash.
Both have made significant strides over time – shifting from average domestic teams with ineffective management and disciplined batting to critical home competition units with strong management and disciplined batsmen.
At their 2025 Ranji Trophy final clash between these two sides, Vidarbha took home victory thanks to Danish Malewar’s powerful century and Karun Nair’s calm ton.
Kerala won the toss and decided to bowl, hoping to take advantage of early conditions at Nagpur’s VCA Stadium. But Vidarbha’s bowlers, led by Harsh Dubey and Parth Rekhade, proved formidable; quickly placing Kerala on their heels.
Sachin Baby narrowly missed a century score but kept Kerala in contention by scoring 98 runs – keeping Kerala competitive against Vidarbha.
On the third day, Vidarbha responded brilliantly in its reply against Kerala with Danish Malewar and Karun Nair combining to post an impressive total.
Nair continued his brilliant form in his second innings by scoring an outstanding century that put Kerala beyond their grasp – they trailed by 348 runs at stumps with still one session remaining!
Day four witnessed an unfortunate repeat, as early wickets toppled left Vidarbha reeling at 7 for 2. However, Nair and Malewar rallied together with an astonishing 177-run stand – the highest partnership of the game to date and which vaulted their hosts past 300 runs and secured them an insurmountable lead with two sessions remaining in this contest.
Kerala started the fifth day at 220/3, but quickly found themselves in danger of being dismissed for an underwhelming total.
Vidarbha bowlers picked up wickets regularly and crushed any hopes for comeback before stumps were drawn with tea approaching and they had established an easy lead of 412 runs; enough to give their fans something to cheer about.
Scorecard
The Ranji Trophy Elite Final 2024-25, played from February 26 to March 2, was domestic cricket at its finest. Individual brilliance and tactical intrigue combined to make this match memorable; further demonstrating India’s strength domestic competition; with Vidarbha dominating this year’s competition led by Danish Malewar and Karun Nair respectively making significant contributions.
Kerala won the toss and decided to bowl on an assistance pitch at Nagpur’s VCA stadium, led by MD Nidheesh and Eden Apple Tom who maintained disciplined bowling until striking in middle overs.
Vidarbha continued their innings and reached 375 for nine by the end of day five’s play with Nair leading the way with 135 (295 balls, 10 fours, two sixes).
Danish Malewar also contributed with unbeaten 73 to give Vidarbha an lead of over 400 runs before tea was called at noon – Kerala could never come back into contention!
However, the batting order managed to remain resilient despite regular wickets falling – Akshay Chandran and Rohan Kunnummal were the first two casualties; however, Darshan Nalkande’s impressive 51 was enough for Darshan to put an end to any further chances.
Kerala put up an admirable fight, and the final session proved thrilling as they inched closer and closer towards reaching the target – but were eventually bowled out by an experienced Vidarbha attack.
Vidarbha captured their third title this season at Nagpur, presented by Roger Binny and celebrated with family.
With this victory they cemented their position as one of India’s strongest domestic sides; youngsters such as Malewar and Dubey may catch the eye of IPL scouts while veterans Nair and Saxena should continue to improve after this season’s stunning run to the final.
