Vidarbha beat Goa by an innings and 27 runs in Ranji Trophy Elite Group-A

Vidarbha defeated Goa by an innings and 27 runs in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group-A match at the VCA Jamtha Stadium in Nagpur on Thursday, October 30, 2026.

Vidarbha declared their first innings on 442 for 8 and then bowled Goa out for 195 in the hosts’ second innings, securing an innings victory and a valuable bonus point. Manthan Khutkar provided resistance for Goa with 70 off 160 balls (4x4, 5x6), while Vidarbha pacer Harsh Dubey took four wickets after lunch.

Khutkar and Goa captain Abhinav Tejrana resumed from the previous evening and adopted a defensive approach against Rajneesh Gurbani and Nachiket Bhute’s opening spells. The first change produced a breakthrough when Yash Thakur bowled Tejrana, and Snehal Kauthankar fell soon after to Gurbani. Lalit Yadav joined Khutkar and the pair contained the attack until Khutkar lofted Bhute for a six and then targeted left-arm spinner Parth Rekhade.

Khutkar hit Rekhade for three sixes before Lalit Yadav’s attempted defensive shot ballooned to short-leg just before lunch. Play resumed with Harsh Dubey breaking the stand by inducing glancing catches to leg-slip that dismissed Khutkar and Yash Kasvankar. Darshan Misal was later caught behind attempting a cut off Aman Mokhade.

With defeat imminent, Shivendra Bhujbal struck a pair of heavy blows and remained unbeaten on 45, but Shubam Tari’s run out ended Goa’s resistance and confirmed a comfortable win for the home side. The scores: Goa — 1st innings: 220. Vidarbha — 1st innings: 442/8 decl. Goa — 2nd innings: Suyash Prabhudessai lbw Bhute 6, Manthan Khutkar c Samarth b Dubey 70, Abhinav Tejrana b Yash 14, Snehal Kauthankar c Wadkar b Gurbani 1, Lalit Yadav c Bhoye b Rekhade 26, Shivendra Bhujbal (not out) 45, Yash Kasvankar c Samarth b Dubey 0, Darshan Misal c Wadkar b Mokhade 3, Ruthvik Naik lbw b Dubey 15, Vasuki Koushik c Samarth b Dubey 0, Shubam Tari run out 0; Extras (b-8, lb-3, w-4); 15; Total (in 76 overs): 195. Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-48, 3-49, 4-122, 5-128, 6-128, 7-145, 8-177, 9-177. Vidarbha bowling: Bhute 10-3-19-1, Dubey 19-6-38-4, Yash Thakur 11-2-20-1, Rekhade 16-5-54-1, Gurbani 11-4-20-1, Mokhade 9-1-33-1.

The innings-and-27 victory awarded Vidarbha the valuable bonus point in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-A fixture at the VCA Jamtha Stadium.