Kerala's fairytale run faces test

Twice champions Vidarbha hold the edge and are at home against the resilient first-time finalists

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NAGPUR: In a remarkable coincidence, domestic stalwart Jalaj Saxena, 38, is set to represent a team in their first Ranji Trophy final that he had faced on his debut for Madhya Pradesh 20 years ago.

No prominence in Test cricket, a Ranji record that barely measures up to that of most other teams, and yet Kerala are here, making their ascent from the backwaters of Indian cricket even more riveting.

Facing them at Nagpur are two-time winners Vidarbha, who last won the title, for the second time, over five years ago and are quietly cementing their place as a powerhouse in domestic cricket.

It has been a stellar run by the Akshay Wadkar-led Vidarbha this season, winning eight of their nine matches and drawing one, making them the side to beat.

Dominant run Vidarbha emerged from their group stage with six victories in seven matches and won the knockouts by heavy margins—by 198 runs against Tamil Nadu in the quarter-final and by 80 runs against defending champions Mumbai in the semi-final.