Rest of India defended 279 after Mukesh Kumar's devastating spell of 6/33 bowled out Ranji champions Jammu and Kashmir for 111
Smaran Ravichandran’s brilliant century and Mukesh Choudhary's five-wicket haul set up the match-winning lead
The statement victory highlights India's incredible squad depth, while J&K proved they can fiercely compete with elite opposition
Rest of India beat Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir by 167 runs in Srinagar, and the match was settled by one spell of seam bowling. Chasing 279, J&K were 89/3 at one stage before Mukesh Kumar ripped through them. He finished with figures of 6/33, including three wickets in four balls, as J&K were bowled out for 111 in 28.4 overs.
The match had swung early. J&K won the toss and bowled, dismissing Rishabh Pant's side for 237 in 68.1 overs, with Sunil Kumar taking three wickets and Umar Nazir Mir removing Sarfaraz Khan and Pant. Shikhar Mohan's quick 68 was the main resistance.
Day two belonged to Mukesh Choudhary, who took 5/78, with Akash Deep adding three wickets. Even so, Paras Dogra's 75 and Abdul Samad's 57 gave J&K a 41-run first-innings lead at 278.
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Rest of India's second innings turned on day three. After a wobble, Smaran Ravichandran hit an audacious ton in 113 balls, and finished the day unbeaten on 126 with his side at 306/8. Sanat Sangwan's 55 and Saransh Jain's 25 had given the innings a base, and the lead became a winning one
Victory is a statement for a Rest of India side built on depth rather than reputation. Smaran's innings and Mukesh Choudhary's five-wicket haul show how many players are pushing for places. Mukesh Kumar's collapse-inducing spell, meanwhile, is a reminder of what he offers when the ball swings. For J&K, this was a hard-fought defeat after leading the first innings, and a sign of how far the Ranji champions have come.
