Key points
- Vidarbha defeated Madhya Pradesh by an innings and 20 runs in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match in Nagpur, completing the win inside three days.
- Harsh Dubey returned match figures of 14 for 90, taking 9 for 53 in Madhya Pradesh's first innings and 5 for 37 in the second.
- Dubey's 9 for 53 was the first nine-wicket innings haul by a Vidarbha bowler in the Ranji Trophy, surpassing Arun Ogiral's 8 for 39 against Madhya Pradesh in 1967-68.
- Vidarbha made 334 for 9 in reply to Madhya Pradesh's 209, with Akshay Wadkar scoring 100 before retiring hurt and Nachiket Bhute making 97.
- Wadkar and Bhute added 175 runs for the seventh wicket after Vidarbha had slipped to 87 for 6.
- Parth Rekhade took 5 for 14 in seven overs as Madhya Pradesh were dismissed for 105 in their second innings.
Vidarbha continued its strong start to the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy campaign with an innings-and-20-run victory over Madhya Pradesh in Nagpur, completing the Elite Group A contest inside three days. Left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey led the home side with 14 wickets in the match, while Parth Rekhade's five-wicket burst helped finish the visitors off in their second innings.
Harsh Dubey produces a record-breaking spell
Dubey set the tone on the opening day with figures of 9 for 53 from 23.1 overs as Madhya Pradesh were bowled out for 209 in 66.1 overs. It was the first time a Vidarbha bowler had taken nine wickets in a Ranji Trophy innings, beating the previous team record of 8 for 39 by Arun Ogiral against the same opposition in the 1967-68 season.
According to the match coverage citing Wisden, Dubey became the 30th bowler to claim nine or more wickets in a Ranji Trophy innings. His spell accounted for all but one of Madhya Pradesh's wickets: Nachiket Bhute took the other wicket, while Atharva Mahajan offered the strongest resistance with 85 from 123 balls.
Dubey returned in the second innings to take another five wickets, finishing with 5 for 37 from 11.3 overs. His combined figures of 14 for 90 made him the central figure in Vidarbha's dominant result.
Wadkar and Bhute rescue Vidarbha after early trouble
Vidarbha's reply was not straightforward. The hosts closed the first day at 56 for 4 and later slipped to 87 for 6, giving Madhya Pradesh an opportunity to stay in the contest. Captain Akshay Wadkar and Nachiket Bhute then changed the course of the innings with a 175-run stand for the seventh wicket.
Wadkar made 100 from 212 balls, striking nine fours, before retiring hurt on exactly three figures. Bhute fell just short of a century, scoring 97 from 111 deliveries with six fours and five sixes. Their partnership lifted Vidarbha to 334 for 9, a first-innings lead of 125 runs.
The recovery proved decisive. Instead of allowing Madhya Pradesh to build pressure through a substantial lead or a narrow deficit, Vidarbha established a position from which its bowlers could attack with the match firmly in hand.
Rekhade joins Dubey to complete the innings win
Madhya Pradesh began its second innings needing 125 runs just to make Vidarbha bat again. Yash Dubey was dismissed for four on the second evening, and the visitors were bowled out for 105 in 33.3 overs on the third day.
Right-arm seamer Parth Rekhade supplied the early damage with 5 for 14 from seven overs. Dubey claimed the remaining five wickets, giving Vidarbha two bowlers with five-wicket hauls in the innings. Saksham Purohit top-scored for Madhya Pradesh with 34 from 53 balls, while Shubham Sharma made 20. No other batter reached double figures.
The result was an innings-and-20-run win for Vidarbha, with the margin reflecting the impact of the first-innings lead and the swift second-innings finish. The match ended inside three days at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.
Vidarbha extend winning run in Elite Group A
The victory was Vidarbha's fourth outright win in four matches in the group campaign. The team had entered the round with three consecutive wins and 19 points, according to the match report. The latest result extended its advantage at the top end of the Elite Group A standings.
For Madhya Pradesh, the defeat was its first of the season. The side had drawn against Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry before beating Bihar by an innings in Indore. Its batting struggled against Dubey in the first innings and could not recover from the position created by Vidarbha's lower-order partnership.
There was a clear collective contribution behind Vidarbha's result: Dubey's record-breaking match haul, Wadkar and Bhute's rescue act, and Rekhade's decisive second-innings spell. The combination of a long partnership after losing six wickets and a sharp bowling finish gave Vidarbha another emphatic result in its bid to stay ahead in the group.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the Vidarbha vs Madhya Pradesh Ranji Trophy match in November 2026?
Vidarbha defeated Madhya Pradesh by an innings and 20 runs in Nagpur. Madhya Pradesh scored 209 in its first innings and 105 in the second, while Vidarbha replied with 334 for 9. The match was completed inside three days.
How many wickets did Harsh Dubey take against Madhya Pradesh?
Harsh Dubey took 14 wickets in the match, finishing with figures of 9 for 53 in Madhya Pradesh's first innings and 5 for 37 in the second. His match return was 14 for 90, leading Vidarbha's bowling effort.
What record did Harsh Dubey set in the Ranji Trophy?
Dubey's first-innings figures of 9 for 53 were the first nine-wicket innings haul by a Vidarbha bowler in the Ranji Trophy. He surpassed the team's previous best of 8 for 39 by Arun Ogiral against Madhya Pradesh in the 1967-68 season.
How did Akshay Wadkar and Nachiket Bhute help Vidarbha recover?
Vidarbha had slipped to 87 for 6 before captain Akshay Wadkar and Nachiket Bhute added 175 runs for the seventh wicket. Wadkar scored 100 before retiring hurt, while Bhute made 97, helping Vidarbha reach 334 for 9.
What were Parth Rekhade's bowling figures in the second innings?
Parth Rekhade took 5 wickets for 14 runs in seven overs as Madhya Pradesh were bowled out for 105 in their second innings. Harsh Dubey took the other five wickets, completing Vidarbha's innings victory.