Hoping to carry on the momentum from their previous win, Odisha encountered a derailment in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match against Jammu & Kashmir. Playing at home on a seam-friendly track, Odisha was asked to bat first. However, they suffered a major batting collapse and were all out for a paltry 130 runs in their first innings. The visitors’ medium pacer Rohit Sharma was the standout bowler, taking five wickets. India pacer Umran Malik and Umar Nazir Mir also contributed with two wickets apiece. In reply, J&K struggled as well and ended the day at 45 for 4 in 18 overs. However, due to Odisha’s low score, J&K is only trailing by 85 runs going into the second day of the match. Captain Shantanu Mishra and Anurag Sarangi started cautiously for Odisha, dealing with difficult playing conditions. But once Sarangi was dismissed, Odisha’s batting collapsed, and they were reduced to 67 for 8. Veteran Govinda Poddar then played a vital knock of 55 runs to help Odisha reach the 100-run mark, supported by Rajesh Mohanty. However, the duo was dismissed by Umar Nazir Mir in quick succession. In J&K’s innings, their openers made a positive start, with captain Shubham Khajuria and Vivrant Sharma scoring 39 runs quickly. Odisha’s medium pacer Sunil Roul and Rajesh Mohanty took wickets to bring J&K’s score to 40 for 3. Rajesh Mohanty later dismissed Abdul Samad. With only 85 runs ahead, Odisha’s bowlers need to perform well on the second day if they want to secure a first-innings lead. The match will continue…