Ranji Trophy: Madhya Pradesh tighten grip on Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar

Madhya Pradesh continued to call the shots against Jammu & Kashmir at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar on October 13, 2026, in their Ranji Trophy Group-A fixture, tightening their hold before heavy rain halted play. Overcast conditions offered Jammu & Kashmir a glimmer, but play ended early with Madhya Pradesh firmly placed in their second innings.

Madhya Pradesh reached 151 for five in their second innings, extending their lead to 227 after posting 196 in the first innings to Jammu & Kashmir's 120. J&K managed just one wicket in the morning session, conceding 70 runs in 30 overs, while captain Shubham Sharma remained unbeaten on 51 (132b, 2x4, 1x6) and Atharva Mahajan was 35 (84b, 4x4) at stumps.

After Auqib Nabi had taken two wickets on the previous day, neither he nor Sunil Kumar added to their tallies on Tuesday; the bowlers struggled to maintain pressure and the fielding lapses allowed Madhya Pradesh to settle. The body language of the J&K players was noted in the match report as reflecting their inability to capitalise on familiar conditions.

It took nearly an hour for Jammu & Kashmir to claim their first breakthrough of the day, Aryan Pandey being caught at gully by Shubham Pundir off a delivery from Rohit Sharma. By the time that wicket fell, Madhya Pradesh had already begun to frustrate the home attack.

Shubham brought up a half-century and ensured his side did not lose momentum, sharing an unbroken 64-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Atharva Mahajan (35). That stand further consolidated Madhya Pradesh’s position before rain intervened.

Scorecard details: Madhya Pradesh — 1st innings: 196. J&K — 1st innings: 120. Madhya Pradesh — 2nd innings: Harsh Gawli c Iqbal b Nabi 11, Yash Dubey c Wadhawan b Sunil 22, Himanshu Mantri c Pundir b Nabi 0, Shubham Sharma (batting) 51, Chanchal Rathore c Samad b Sunil 8, Aryan Pandey c Pundir b Rohit 17, Atharva Mahajan (batting) 35; Extras (lb-3, nb-4): 7; Total (for five wkts. in 62 overs): 151. Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-30, 3-40, 4-56, 5-87. J&K bowling: Nabi 17-4-31-2, Sunil 19-4-41-2, Rohit 13-4-32-1, Vanshaj 4-0-8-0, Nasir 9-0-36-0.

With heavy rain forecast for Wednesday, Madhya Pradesh’s first-innings lead gives them the edge in a contest where the weather could prove decisive.