**Devdutt Padikkal Hammers His 19th Fifty in First-Class Cricket**
*By Rajdeep Saha | Oct 15, 2025, 07:40 pm*
The opening day of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season witnessed a stellar performance from Karnataka against Saurashtra at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. A remarkable partnership between Devdutt Padikkal and Karun Nair anchored Karnataka’s innings, helping the team reach a solid 295/5 by the end of Day 1.
Padikkal, who recently featured in Team India’s series against the West Indies, showcased his batting prowess at number three. He scored a well-crafted 96 runs from 141 balls, including 11 boundaries, narrowly missing out on a century.
### Match Progress: A Solid Partnership After a Shaky Start
Karnataka’s innings got off to a rocky start as captain Mayank Agarwal and S Nikin Jose found themselves under early pressure from Saurashtra’s bowlers, led by skipper Jaydev Unadkat.
However, Padikkal and Nair steadied the ship with a commanding 146-run partnership for the third wicket. Blending youthful ambition with experienced composure, the duo rotated the strike effectively to keep the scoreboard moving.
Their partnership was eventually ended by Saurashtra’s left-arm spinner Dharmendra Jadeja, but their efforts had already set a strong platform for Karnataka.
### Padikkal’s First-Class Cricket Milestone
This innings marked Padikkal’s 19th fifty in First-Class cricket, part of his growing reputation as a dependable batsman. Playing his 47th First-Class match, he has amassed 3,140 runs at an average of around 43.
In addition to his 19 half-centuries, Padikkal has scored seven centuries, underscoring his consistency and potential for higher honors.
Karnataka will look to build on this solid foundation as the match progresses, with Padikkal’s form providing a significant boost to their campaign this Ranji Trophy season.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/ranji-trophy-padikkal-shows-his-mettle-with-knock-of-96/story
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