Freak helmet catch lands Kerala in first Ranji Trophy final in 68 years; Shashi Tharoor's reaction sums it up

Gujarat needed 3 more runs to take the first-innings lead against Kerala, which would have also ensured their entry into the Ranji Trophy final. Arjan Nagwaswalla had shown great composure with the bat up till then. Kerala left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate tossed one up, Nagwaswalla swung hard, and the ball ricocheted off forward short leg fielder Salman Nizar's helmet to Sachin Baby at slip. What appeared like a sure-shot boundary ended up resulting in a wicket. The Amay Khurasiya-coached Kerala side erupted in celebration, securing a historic Ranji final berth as a dejected Nagwaswalla walked back in disbelief.

It was the most dramatic way to decide the outcome of this semi-final match. As the match was heading for a draw, it was clear that the side taking the first-innings lead would book their date in the final with Vidarbha.

With the last Gujarat wicket falling in that fashion, Kerala took the all-important two-run first-innings to enter their maiden Ranji Trophy final, 68 years after making their debut in Indian cricket's premier domestic competition.

Social media was abuzz dramatically as soon as the match was decided. Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor called Kerala the "one-run victory specialists"

"The historic moment when the “one-run-victory” specialists, Kerala, assured their entry into the #RanjiTrophy final!," he wrote on X.

India pacer Jaydev Unadkat hailed the courage of the shot leg Fiedler, Nizar.

"Gujarat need 2 runs, Kerala need 1 wicket to qualify for the finals. Yes that is destiny surely, Jalaj showing the helmet which helped them qualify, but what you don’t see is the courage that the short-leg fielder Salman Nizar has shown throughout the innings. This is “fortune favours the brave” right here..

"I feel for the whole Gujarat unit though, they have been extraordinarily persistent!" wrote Unadkat on X.

Going into the final day at 429/7, the home side, who won the Ranji title in 2016-17, needed just 29 runs to take a first innings lead.However, left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate delivered under pressure, taking all three wickets to bowl Gujarat out for 455 in 174.4 overs to leave them two runs short of the mark.

Making only their second semifinal appearance, the visitors had been left frustrated by a dogged 72-run eighth-wicket stand between Jaymeet Patel (74 overnight) and Siddharth Desai (24 overnight). They started the day needing three wickets with just 28 runs to defend.

Kerala, who last made the semifinals in 2018-19 after making their Ranji debut back in 1957, will face Vidarbha in the summit clash after the latter defeat heavyweights Mumbai by 80 runs in the other semifinal. Sarwate's breakthroughs came amid high drama, including a dropped catch, a tight stumping decision, and a successful DRS review that overturned a caught-out call to an LBW dismissal.

First it was Kerala skipper Sachin Baby, who dropped the well-set Jaymeet with Gujarat 23 runs shy of a lead.

But Jaymeet could not make it count and perished for 79 (177 balls; 2x4) in the same over when he dragged his foot outside the crease while the ball passed his outside edge for Mohammed Azharuddeen to complete an excellent stumping.

After multiple replays, umpire finally ruled him out as his foot was found to be on the line when the bail was knocked off as Kerala camp went up in celebration.

But there was more to the contest as Gujarat left-arm quick Arzan Nagwaswalla, batting at No 10, counter-attacked and smashed Akshay Chandran for a cover boundary to take them within 14 runs of the lead.

Breakthrough for Kerala came with Gujarat 11 runs behind when Sarwate broke the dogged resistance of Siddharth Desai, who got out for 30 that came off 164 balls with just one boundary.

Desai reviewed a caught-out decision, and while Ultra Edge showed no spike, ball-tracking confirmed it would have hit leg stump, overturning the call to LBW.

Nagwaswalla and last man Priyajitsinh Jadeja brought Gujarat within eight runs when Kerala missed a half-chance, with the ball slipping from Salman Nizar's grasp.

Jalaj Saxena nearly claimed his fifth wicket as Nagwaswalla's inside edge brushed past leg stump, leaving Gujarat just two runs short.

Then came the decisive moment.

For Kerala, Sarwate, who had started the day with 1/101, ended with figures of 45.4-7-111-4.

Jalaj, who toiled hard for 71 overs, returned with 4/149 including 14 maidens.

With their maiden Ranji final berth secured, Kerala batted with ease in the second innings, scoring 114 for four in 46 overs in their second innings in the drawn affair.

Jalaj top-scored for Kerala with an unbeaten 37 off 90 balls, while opener Rohan Kunnummal made 32. Desai (2/45) and Manan Hingrajia (2/22) picked up two wickets apiece for Gujarat.