Smaran’s unbeaten 126 drives Rest of India recovery at Sher-i-Kashmir in Irani Cup

R. Smaran rescued Rest of India with an unbeaten 126 at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in the Irani Cup on Saturday, October 3, 2026. His innings left Rest of India 306 for eight at stumps, a lead of 265 over Jammu & Kashmir.

RoI were in trouble when Smaran arrived at the crease, 130 for four in their second innings with the lead at just 89, and the visitors later slipped to 197 for eight. The 23-year-old left-hander from Bengaluru had already registered six first-class hundreds prior to this match and had scored a chart-topping 950 runs for Karnataka in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy. National selectors Pragyan Ojha and Shiv Sundar Das were in attendance at the ground.

Smaran finished unbeaten on 126 from 131 balls, striking 15 fours and five sixes. He and Mukesh Choudhary put together an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 109 runs off 118 balls; Mukesh was 9 (47b, 2x4) at stumps. That partnership took Rest of India to 306 for eight.

Late in the day Smaran was adjudged leg-before on 104, but Umar Nazir had overstepped on the delivery. Umar Nazir had earlier taken three wickets for Jammu & Kashmir.

Score summary: Rest of India — 1st innings: 237. Jammu & Kashmir — 1st innings: 278. RoI — 2nd innings: Shikhar Mohan c Wadhawan b Sunil 2, Sanat Sangwan c Wadhawan b Umar 55, Sudip Gharami b Nasir 33, Saransh Jain b Umar 25, Sarfaraz Khan c Pundir b Umar 0, R. Smaran (batting) 126, Manav Suthar lbw b Lotra 16, Rishabh Pant lbw b Lotra 8, Akash Deep c Khajuria b Lotra 1, Mukesh Choudhary (batting) 9.

Extras (b-2, lb-5, w-3, nb-21): 31; Total (for eight wkts. in 94 overs): 306. Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-58, 3-128, 4-130, 5-131, 6-183, 7-195, 8-197.

Jammu & Kashmir bowling: Umar 22-2-87-3, Sunil 26-5-48-1, Nasir 11-0-55-1, Abid 8-0-32-0, Lotra 26-5-71-3, Pundir 1-0-6-0.

At the close of play on day three of the Irani Cup fixture, Rest of India led Jammu & Kashmir by 265 with two wickets remaining.