Vidarbha took control on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy final against Kerala, finishing the first day at 254 for 4 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur. The star of the day was Danish Malewar, who remained unbeaten with 138 runs, supported solidly by Karun Nair, who scored 88.
After being asked to bat first, Vidarbha faced early adversity, quickly losing three wickets. This setback, though, became the backdrop for a remarkable partnership between Nair and Malewar, who turned the tide for the last season's finalists.
They managed to construct a sizable 215-run partnership for the fifth wicket, which came off 414 deliveries and spanned the three sessions of play. Their approach beautifully balanced caution with aggression, allowing Vidarbha to settle after the rocky start.
Tragically, their partnership was disrupted when both Nair and Malewar attempted a run on what turned out to be a risky call, leading to Nair's dismissal just 14 runs shy of what would have been a deserved century.
Malewar, who came to the crease at number four, demonstrated remarkable poise. After forming the initial solid ground alongside Nair and taking them to lunch, he secured the second century of the current Ranji season, marking his success in this highly competitive domestic run.
His story is particularly compelling. A debutant this season, Malewar impressed immediately with solid performances, including 61 runs against Andhra, and continued to showcase his abilities with scores of 56, 42, and 59. It wasn't long before he announced himself on the first-class stage with his maiden century of 115 runs against Gujarat on home turf.
To date, he has yet to make his mark in shorter formats of the game, but his current form and performances indicate great potential for the future.
The scoreboard read: Vidarbha 254/4 after 86 overs, with Danish Malewar contributing with 138 not out and Karun Nair scoring 86. For Kerala, MD Nidheesh was the pick of the bowlers, taking 2 wickets for 33 runs.