Ranji Trophy | Karnataka skipper Mayank delighted with bonus-point win over Kerala

Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal was extremely pleased with his team pulling off an innings win over Kerala. He praised pacer Vidwath Kaverappa for his game-changing spell and complimented the efforts of Karun Nair and R. Smaran for scoring double hundreds.

“It was a much-needed win for us. We have been playing well this season, and this was a perfect match for us. It was a good toss to win. The plan was to put up a big total on the board and bat out Kerala from the match. We expected the wicket to help the bowlers on the first day, especially in the first session. I must give credit to Kerala bowlers as they bowled really well and in good areas to put us under pressure. Karun and K.L. Shrijith had a century partnership for the third wicket, which was important in the context of the game. Smaran and Karun went on to make double hundreds, which helped us post a big total,’’ he said.

“Kaverappa was outstanding. He put in a lot of effort and I really liked his attitude and was happy for him. We expected the wicket to start deteriorating from the third day. Mohsin Khan exploited the conditions well. The Kerala tailenders batted well, but we failed to take the half-chances. Anyway, I am happy with the seven points and more importantly, it came in an away match,’’ he said.