Kerala captain Vishnu and coach Asnodkar praise collective effort after Ranji Trophy win

Kerala defeated Odisha in their Ranji Trophy 2026 round two fixture at the Greenfield International Cricket Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.

Wedged in a group of former champions, Kerala entered their home campaign under pressure to start with a victory and the players delivered; captain Vishnu Vinod and coach Swapnil Asnodkar expressed satisfaction with the team’s response to the match’s challenges.

“Asnodkar said: “Our game plan was very simple. We only wanted to bat once in this match. Our plan was to score 350 runs but got fifty extra runs and I have no complaints,” said Asnodkar.

“We didn’t have the best of starts on the first morning, but credit to both Sachin Baby and Mohammed Azharuddeen for hanging in there and making it count. We have two good experienced spinners, and they can be lethal when there is little help for them. Odisha fought well, but Jalaj’s strikes late on the third day made the difference. In a way, it was a perfect match for us,” Asnodkar added.

It is early days in Vishnu Vinod’s captaincy tenure and, after tasting his second win as captain, he commended contributions across the batting order and the spin unit. “Things have gone the way we planned. I am happy with the way we have batted so far this season. There have been contributions from the top order, and there are already three centuries this season. “I am sure others will strike form as the season progresses. Spin is definitely our strength. It was important to rotate the spinners and give them enough rest. We got wickets at regular intervals and at the right time,’’ he said.

The Kerala side celebrated the runout decision that sealed the victory; the result earned Kerala the maximum seven points from their Ranji Trophy 2026 round two match against Odisha.