Thiruvananthapuram: Dropped catches, a deflated bowling attack, an underwhelming batting performance, and a Jalaj Saxena-sized void — Kerala were left ruing a day of squandered opportunities as their Ranji Trophy clash against Maharashtra ended in a frustrating draw in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.Resuming at 71/0 on the final day, Maharashtra shut the door on Kerala with a gritty and disciplined batting display, led by Prithvi Shaw’s fluent 75 and unbeaten half-centuries from Ruturaj Gaikwad and Siddhesh Veer.The visitors finished at 224/2, batting out the day with composure to walk away with three crucial points — and the psychological edge — after being on the ropes early in the match.Kerala’s best chance at an early breakthrough came on the very first ball of the day.Shaw, yet to open his account, slashed at a wide delivery from MD Nidheesh and offered a regulation chance to Baba Aparajith at point — but the catch was grassed.Shaw made the most of the reprieve, stroking his way to a stylish 75, setting the tone for Maharashtra’s resistance.The fielding woes didn’t stop there. Sanju Samson shelled a tough chance at first slip against Arshin Kulkarni off left-arm spinner Ankit Sharma, further compounding Kerala’s woes.Gaikwad, who top-scored with 91 in the first innings, steadied the innings alongside Veer, the pair compiling an unbroken 103-run partnership for the third wicket.On a pitch offering little assistance, Kerala’s bowlers looked a far cry from the incisive unit that had reduced Maharashtra to 18/5 on Day 1.As the sun beat down, so did the pressure. With each passing over, the match slipped further from Kerala’s grasp.Captain Mohammed Azharuddeen acknowledged the team’s patchy performance.“We played well in phases, but our batters didn’t capitalise. And in the field, we let it slip,” he admitted.He also highlighted the absence of veteran all-rounder Jalaj Saxena, not just for his skillset, but for his cricketing acumen.“When Salman Nizar was batting yesterday and there was bad light, their captain offered to employ spin. Jalaj immediately stepped in, knowing Salman plays spin well, and prevented it. That’s the kind of smart thinking we missed,” he added.Ultimately, it was a case of failing to seize the big moments.Kerala had Maharashtra on the ropes but let the advantage, and three valuable points slip through their fingers.With a critical clash against Punjab up next, the team management may consider injecting fresh energy into the squad, possibly by handing a debut to promising youngster Abhishek P Nair.For now, Kerala are left nursing regrets from a match they largely controlled but couldn’t close.Brief Scores: Maharashtra 239 and 224/2 (Prithvi Shaw 75, Ruturaj Gaikwad 55 not out) drew vs Kerala 219; Maharashtra: 3 points; Kerala 1 point.
