# Ranji Trophy: Vidarbha host Madhya Pradesh at Nagpur
_Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh meet in an Elite Group A match at VCA Jamtha Stadium in Nagpur._

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- Author: Atul, Editor (https://apexsportsnews.in/author/atul)
- Published: 2026-11-01T17:56:07.118Z
- Section: Cricket
- Topics: Ranji Trophy, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Dhruv Shorey, Rajat Patidar
## Summary

Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh will face off in a Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match at the VCA Jamtha Stadium in Nagpur beginning on Monday, with both teams seeking points to strengthen their knockout qualification bids.

## Key takeaways

- Vidarbha has won all three of its matches outright so far this season.
- Madhya Pradesh secured its first outright win against Bihar in the last round.
- Dhruv Shorey made 168 against Goa in Vidarbha’s last match.
- Saransh Jain claimed 13 wickets for Madhya Pradesh against Bihar.
- Yash Thakur will miss the match for Vidarbha due to India duty.

## Article

Vidarbha will host Madhya Pradesh in a Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match at the VCA Jamtha Stadium in Nagpur beginning on Monday. The Hindu reported that the fixture carries significant implications for both teams’ chances of reaching the knockout stage.

## What we know

Three rounds into the season, Group A has begun to bifurcate, with the top four sides creating significant breathing space from the remaining four. Sportstar reported that Vidarbha, Baroda, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh form the leading quartet, while defending champion Jammu and Kashmir, Pondicherry, Goa, and Bihar trail behind.

Host Vidarbha leads the way among the quartet, having secured outright wins in all three of its matches thus far. Sportstar said Vidarbha also picked up a bonus point by virtue of its innings victory in its last outing against Goa at the same venue.

Its batting lineup faced some early struggles but the Goa match provided relief as it piled on the runs. Dhruv Shorey led the way with an assured 168, while there were also half-centuries for R. Samarth, Danish Malewar, and captain Akshay Wadkar.

On the bowling front, seamers Nachiket Bhute and the returning Rajneesh Gurbani looked in fine rhythm, while Harsh Dubey’s left-arm spin made the difference on the final day against Goa with four wickets post-lunch. Vidarbha will be without Yash Thakur, who is in India’s squad for the final two New Zealand ODIs, with Praful Hinge likely to take his place.

> Vidarbha picked a bonus point in the last round against Goa.
> — Sportstar

## Why it matters

Madhya Pradesh brings up the rear of the competing quartet, though it is perhaps unlucky to be doing so. It had to settle for draws despite a first-innings lead in its first two matches due to rain, although it secured its first outright win against Bihar last time out.

Rajat Patidar has peeled off two centuries in two innings, while there have been runs for Shubham Sharma, Yash Dubey, and the rookie top-order duo of Chanchal Rathore and Saksham Purohit. Saransh Jain starred with the ball against Bihar, claiming 13 wickets, while Avesh Khan has impressed with nine scalps from two games on his red-ball return.

Adding to the intrigue, MP is led from the dugout by veteran coach Chandrakant Pandit, who was in charge for Vidarbha’s back-to-back titles in 2017-18 and 2018-19 before leading MP to its maiden title in 2021-22.

### Group A top four and remaining four as reported by Sportstar

| Top four | Remaining four |
| --- | --- |
| Vidarbha | Jammu and Kashmir |
| Baroda | Pondicherry |
| Uttar Pradesh | Madhya Pradesh |
| Bihar | Goa |

## What happens next

The last meeting between this pair came in the semifinals of the 2024-25 season. While the stakes of this encounter may not be quite as high, securing points will be crucial if they are to retain lofty ambitions.

The Ranji Trophy is an annual domestic first-class cricket championship played in India, organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, with teams representing the various member associations of the BCCI taking part. The 2026-27 Ranji Trophy is the 92nd season of the tournament and is scheduled to take place from 11 October 2026 to 3 March 2027.

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### Sources

- [The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/ranji-trophy-vidarbha-and-madhya-pradesh-in-search-of-crucial-points/article71653938.ece)
- [Sportstar](https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/vidarbha-vs-madhya-pradesh-match-preview-ranji-trophy-2026-27-news-nagpur/article71652795.ece)
- [Photo: kathsug, Pixabay Content License (Pixabay)](https://pixabay.com/photos/cricket-bowling-sport-people-team-5513477/)
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