Karun Nair kept Karnataka afloat with a steely, unbeaten 81 (130b, 8x4, 2x6) on day three of the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy opener against Andhra on Tuesday.
At the ACA Stadium in Mulapadu near here, the 34-year-old helped his side erase a 144-run first-innings deficit and close at 176 for four. But the hosts still hold the advantage, and the first session on day four will prove decisive in their victory push.
The visitors’ response to Andhra’s 418 began in disastrous fashion as K.L. Rahul (1) and Mayank Agarwal (18) failed again, with left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar trapping both stalwarts in front with balls delivered from wide of the crease. However, Karnataka arrested the slide with the off-the-wall decision to send debutant left-hander Manvanth Kumar (44, 110b, 1x4, 2x6) up the order. Even as K.V. Aneesh fell for another low score (6), Manvanth and Karun combined for 94 runs.
Manvanth was reprieved on seven by Hemanth Reddy in the long-off area, and Karun was let off in the 70s when wicket-keeper Revanth Reddy couldn’t effect a stumping in time as the red-cherry got stuck in his pads. Off-spinner T. Vijay was the unfortunate bowler on both occasions.
But for those two moments, Manvanth and Karun were solid. Manvanth’s best shot was the straight six off Vijay; Karun too was at his resplendent best, hitting Saurabh and fellow left-arm tweaker Lalith Mohan for glorious maximums down the ground.
Manvanth was castled by Lalith six short of a deserved half-century, but skipper R. Smaran (21 batting, 43b, 1x4) ensured there would be no further damage.
In the morning, Andhra, from an overnight 331 for six, folded for 418. Centurion S.V. Rahul added only 11 runs to finish on 119, but pacer V. Sasikanth rode his luck to make 39 (104, 4x4, 1x6), and Saurabh and Lalith totalled 40 valuable runs.
Left-arm spinner Shikhar Shetty finished with career-best figures of six for 115. Will it acquire a match-saving halo?
The scores: Karnataka — 1st innings: 274 in 82.2 overs.
Andhra — 1st innings: Hemanth Reddy c Smaran b Shikhar 1, Abhishek Reddy lbw b Shikhar 30, T. Vijay c Rahul b Madhav 4, Shaik Rasheed lbw Madhav 54, Ricky Bhui c Rahul b Bhatkal 18, S.V. Rahul lbw b Ritesh 119, Revanth Reddy c Rahul b Shikhar 97, V. Sasikanth lbw b Shikhar 39, Saurabh Kumar c Shrijith b Shikhar 24, Lalith Mohan (not out) 16, K. Saiteja lbw b Shikhar 1; Extras (b-5, lb-5, w-1, nb-4): 15; Total (in 121.5 overs): 418.
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-10, 3-53, 4-92, 5-116, 6-318, 7-364, 8-395, 9-416.
Karnataka bowling: Abhilash 12-0-49-0, Shikhar 35.5-2-115-6, Madhav 33-4-94-2, Manvanth 4-0-33-0, Ritesh 35-3-109-2, Karun 2-0-8-0.
Karnataka — 2nd innings: Mayank Agarwal lbw b Saurabh 18, K.L. Rahul lbw b Saurabh 1, Manvanth Kumar b Lalith 44, K.V. Aneesh c Bhui b Saurabh 6, Karun Nair (batting) 81, R. Smaran (batting) 21; Extras (lb-5): 5; Total (for four wkts. in 60 overs): 176.
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-25, 3-43, 4-137.
Andhra bowling: Saiteja 8-1-26-0, Sasikanth 2-1-4-0, Lalith 17-1-55-1, Saurabh 18-1-41-3, T. Vijay 14-1-43-0, Rasheed 1-0-2-0.