4 Wickets For 5 Runs, Prithvi Shaw Duck: Maharashtra Rattled By Kerala In Ranji Trophy

Kerala triggered a Maharashtra batting collapse in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. Four of Maharashtra's top five batters registered ducks, reducing them to 4/5 in 3.2 overs. Prithvi Shaw, Arshin Kulkarni, Siddhesh Veer and captain Ankit Bawne all failed to open their accounts, with MD Nidheesh and Basil Thambi bagging two wickets each. Maharashtra were reeling at 81/5 at Lunch on Day 1 as Nidheesh struck again a few overs later to dismiss Saurabh Nawala (12).

Much was expected from Shaw after he scored a cracking ton for Maharashtra in a three-day warm-up match against his former team, Mumbai.

Shaw switched from Mumbai ahead of the season for a fresh start after a turbulent period that saw him lose his place in the red-ball setup. His move to Maharashtra is seen as a significant step in trying to revive his red-ball career.

After going unsold at the IPL 2025 auction and facing questions over his form and fitness, Shaw decided to switch to Maharashtra to revive his domestic career and gain more consistent opportunities. He made an impact in his first competitive outing for Maharashtra, scoring a century against Chhattisgarh in the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in August.

In the previous Ranji season (2024-25), Maharashtra finished fifth in Elite Group A, managing two wins, two draws, and three losses from seven matches.

Maharashtra have been placed in Group B, which includes Kerala (last season's runners-up), Saurashtra, Chandigarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Goa - all strong contenders in the domestic circuit.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and veteran Jalaj Saxena did some recovery act for Maharashtra, unbeaten at 35 and 29, respectively, at Lunch.

(With IANS Inputs)