By Krishna Dua 
Ranji Trophy 2026: Scores, Highlights and Latest Updates
January 17, 2026, pulses with the unyielding spirit of Indian domestic cricket as the Ranji Trophy enters its most grueling phase, with Round 4 delivering nail-biting finishes and prodigious talents under the winter sun. From the lush greens of Wankhede to the dusty turns of Chepauk, 28 Elite teams battle in a format that has birthed legends, now amplified by BCCI’s live DRS feeds and women’s parallel leagues. Defending champions Vidarbha, under Karun Nair’s astute leadership, hold a slender lead in Group A, but Mumbai’s resurgence—fueled by Shreyas Iyer’s resurgence—threatens to upend the apple cart. As over 3 million fans tune in via streaming platforms, this edition’s emphasis on pink-ball day-nighters and youth quotas (under-23 players mandatory in lineups) adds fresh layers. With the knockout stage looming in February, today’s updates spotlight blistering centuries, dramatic collapses, and tactical masterstrokes that could fast-track IPL auctions. In cricket’s truest test, where scores tell stories and highlights etch memories, the 2026 Ranji Trophy reaffirms its role as India’s red-ball heartbeat.
Round 4 Scores: Dramatic Draws and Decisive Wins
Round 4, spanning January 14-17, unfolded as a saga of resilience, with eight outright results amid persistent fog in the north and relentless spin in the south. In Group A’s marquee clash at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai held Vidarbha to a gritty draw, scoring 456 and 289/7 declared against Vidarbha’s 412 and 210/4. Ajinkya Rahane’s marathon 168 (312 balls) in the first innings, laced with classical straight drives, anchored Mumbai’s reply to Vidarbha’s 412, but Umesh Yadav’s late burst (3/45) kept the pressure on. Vidarbha’s opener Atharva Taide countered with 112 in the second dig, but Mumbai’s Tanush Kotian (4/62) ensured no declaration, securing 4 points each. The match, attended by 25,000, ended with Rahane’s handshake to Nair symbolizing mutual respect.
Group B’s thriller saw Saurashtra edge Baroda by 6 wickets in Rajkot, chasing 245 in 72 overs. Cheteshwar Pujara’s unbeaten 89 (150 balls) steered the chase after early wobbles at 45/3, supported by Arpit Vasavada’s 62. Baroda’s Kedar Jadhav, in his farewell innings, aggregated 156 runs but couldn’t prevent Jaydev Unadkat’s 5/56 sealing the deal. Saurashtra’s 8 points catapults them to 32, overtaking Baroda’s 24. In Group C, Karnataka crushed Andhra by an innings and 112 runs in Bengaluru. Mayank Agarwal’s commanding 201 (285 balls) powered Karnataka to 512 declared, while Andhra folded for 189 and 211. Vidyuth Latheesh’s 6/48 in the second innings, swinging seamers under lights, earned him Player of the Match honors, boosting Karnataka to 30 points.
Group D’s upset belonged to Goa, who stunned Gujarat by 10 runs in Panjim. Goa’s modest 278, built on Suyash Prabhudessai’s 98, proved defendable as spinner Darshan Misal (5/72) dismantled Gujarat’s chase at 268. Shubman Gill’s aggressive 76 off 92 balls nearly turned tides, but a middle-order collapse—four ducks in 20 balls—sealed Goa’s first win, earning 6 points and igniting promotion dreams. Punjab dominated Haryana in Mohali with a 9-wicket romp, Arshdeep Singh’s 7/89 (match figures) skittling Haryana for 156 and 201, Prabhsimran Singh’s 145 chasing 58 in 15 overs. Scores across Plate division were lopsided, with Sikkim’s 8-wicket victory over Nagaland (chasing 120) positioning them for Elite promotion.
Standout Highlights: Centuries, Catches and Comebacks
Highlights from Round 4 read like a cricketer’s dream reel. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s sublime 256* for Rajasthan against Services in Delhi—a 420-ball epic blending Pujara-esque patience with Kohli flair—propelled an innings victory, Rajasthan enforcing the follow-on after Services’ 189. Jaiswal’s cover drive off pacer Vikas Mishra, replayed 2 million times on social media, underscored his 800-run season haul at 133 average. In Nagpur, Vidarbha’s Dhruv Shorey pulled off a screamer—a diving left-handed catch at slip off Kotian’s spin—dismissing J&K’s Suryansh Raina on 99, preserving Mumbai’s lead and earning viral “Catch of the Round” nods.
Comebacks defined narratives: Bengal, staring at defeat vs. Tripura at Eden Gardens, scripted a 150-run partnership between Wriddhiman Saha (112*) and Abhishek Porel (78) to salvage a draw from 120/7. Saha’s reverse sweep off spinner Manisankar Murasingh, who took 6/110, turned the tide. In a pink-ball special under Ahmedabad’s lights, Railways vs. Uttar Pradesh ended in a tie—UP’s 312 chased to the last ball, Akash Deep’s 4/56 matched by Rishi Dhawan’s 5/78, the final over seeing Shivam Mavi’s skier caught on the boundary. Women’s Ranji mirrored thrills: Harmanpreet Kaur’s 142 for Mumbai Women vs. Delhi Women, including a six over midwicket off Deepti Sharma, powered a 7-wicket win, her 400-run tally leading chases for India A’s tour.
Tactical gems abounded—Karnataka’s use of short-pitched barrages in humid Bengaluru sapped Andhra’s Hanuma Vihari (89), who retired hurt at 150, while Saurashtra’s leg-spin trap in Rajkot, with Vasavada and Yuvraj Chudasma (3/55) combining for 8 wickets, echoed Shane Warne’s artistry.
Player Performances: Rising Stars and Veteran Valor
Individual brilliance lit up scorecards. Karun Nair’s 156 for Vidarbha vs. Mumbai marked his fourth century this season, his pull shot off Shardul Thakur a throwback to his 2015-16 triple ton spree. At 34, Nair’s 650 runs (avg 130) position him for a Test recall, selectors whispering his name for the England series. Shreyas Iyer, silencing IPL distractions, aggregated 245 runs in the Mumbai-Vidarbha draw, his 78 in the second innings featuring a flicked six off Siddarth Kaul that cleared the ropes.
Young guns stole limelight: Goa’s 19-year-old Misal, with 28 wickets at 18 average, embodies the under-23 quota’s success, his googly dismissing Gill a career highlight. Prabhsimran Singh’s 145 off 112 balls for Punjab, laced with 18 fours, screams white-ball conversion potential, his 400 runs making him Group C’s top run-getter. Veterans like Pujara (89*) and Saha (112*) proved age is no bar, their accumulations contrasting Jaiswal’s flair. Bowling honors to Arshdeep (7/89) and Unadkat (5/56), the latter’s outswinger to Jadhav a fitting send-off. In Plate, Meghalaya’s Rajbans Singh’s 10/145 vs. Manipur earned him a Baroda trial, his slingy action drawing Lasith Maling comparisons.
Injuries tempered joy: Delhi’s Yash Dhull, nursing a thumb fracture from Round 3, missed UP’s tie, while Tamil Nadu’s Sai Sudharsan sat out vs. Chhattisgarh with a hamstring tweak, his absence costing in a 5-wicket loss.
Standings and Points Tally: The Elite Ladder Tightens
Post-Round 4, Group A: Vidarbha (40 pts from 4 draws/wins), Mumbai (31), Jammu & Kashmir (22). Group B: Saurashtra (32), Railways (28), Baroda (24). Group C: Karnataka (30), Punjab (27), Andhra (20). Group D: Rajasthan (35), Gujarat (25), Goa (18 after win). Bottom dwellers like Assam (6 pts) face relegation specters, while Plate leaders Sikkim (36) eye Elite berth. Bonus points—1 for every 75 runs post-250, 0.5 per wicket post-5—reward aggression, with 15 teams hitting declarations. Full tallies reflect DRS’s impact: 120 referrals, 45 overturned, enhancing fairness.
Team News and Tactical Insights: Adaptations in Play
News from camps: Mumbai integrates under-23 opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi, his 56 vs. Vidarbha earning a permanent spot. Vidarbha trials pink-ball specialist Akash Singh for knockouts, post his 4/32 in a practice game. Injuries: Haryana’s Yuzvendra Chahal, sidelined with elbow niggle, misses two rounds, paving for rookie offie Harshal Patel. Tactically, spin-heavy lineups dominate—60% overs spun in southern groups—while northern pacers like Arshdeep exploit seam. BCCI’s youth quota mandates three under-23s, unearthing gems like Misal, with 12 debutants this round.
Weather woes: Fog in Delhi curtailed 20 overs, but hybrid pitches in Lucknow ensured full games.
Path to Knockouts: February Fever Builds
With five rounds left, the semi-final race heats: Top two per group advance, knockouts from February 20. Vidarbha eyes an unbeaten run, but Mumbai’s depth and Saurashtra’s spin could upset. Global eyes turn—Jaiswal and Gill’s forms bolster India A squads. As Round 5 (January 21-24) looms—Mumbai vs. Saurashtra a potential super Sunday—the Ranji Trophy 2026 isn’t waning; it’s waxing, scores etching epics, highlights haunting highlights reels. In this cauldron of county-like cricket, where every ball births a batsman, the trophy gleams brighter, waiting for its 2026 conqueror.