5/4! Prithvi Shaw makes disastrous debut for Maharashtra; team reels vs Kerala in Ranji Trophy | Cricket News
Maharashtra had a disastrous start to their 2025/26 Ranji Trophy campaign against Kerala at the Green Field Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, collapsing to 5/4 in the fourth over with Prithvi Shaw getting out for zero on his Maharashtra debut.Kerala’s seamer MD Nidheesh struck early, dismissing Shaw lbw in the first over before removing Siddhesh Veer off the next ball. Basil NP then took out Arshin Kulkarni with his first delivery and later dismissed captain Ankeet Bawana with a bouncing delivery that hit the stumps.Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jalaj Saxena led a recovery effort, reaching 35 and 29, respectively, with Maharashtra reaching 81/5 at Lunch.
Shaw’s duck came as a disappointment after his recent century against Mumbai in a warm-up match. The opener had switched from Mumbai to Maharashtra before this season, seeking a fresh start after losing his place in the red-ball setup.The move to Maharashtra represented an important step for Shaw following a challenging period that included going unsold at the IPL 2025 auction and facing scrutiny over his form and fitness.Shaw had shown early promise for his new team by scoring a century against Chhattisgarh in the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in August.Maharashtra’s previous Ranji Trophy season saw them finish fifth in Elite Group A with two wins, two draws, and three losses from seven matches.For the 2025/26 season, Maharashtra have been placed in Group B alongside strong competitors including last season’s runners-up Kerala, Saurashtra, Chandigarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Goa.
