Left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya starred for Madhya Pradesh in their Elite Group B Ranji Trophy 2025-26 clash against Goa, claiming a total of eight wickets in the match, including a decisive five-wicket haul in the second innings.
The 27-year-old Kartikeya, who played for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025, led the way with ball in hand for Madhya Pradesh, finishing with figures of 5/81 in the second innings to help bowl out Goa for 230.
With Madhya Pradesh trailing Goa by 97 runs after the first innings, the left-arm spinner was handed the new ball in the second. He struck early, removing Suyash Prabhudessai for the second time in the match in the seventh over.
He then bowled Goa captain Snehal Kauthankar in the 23rd over before trapping Deepraj Gaonkar and Arjun Tendulkar LBW in the 49th over.
Kartikeya completed his five-wicket haul by sneaking past Lalit Yadav’s defence and rattling his stumps in the 55th over.
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The left-arm spinner’s bowling effort helped keep Madhya Pradesh in the game, with a target of 328 to chase down for victory. They were 21/1 at stumps after Day 3.
Kartikeya had earlier taken three wickets for 88 runs in the first innings.
The 27-year-old’s eight-wicket haul against Goa adds to his growing list of standout performances in the domestic circuit.
He is Madhya Pradesh’s top wicket-taker in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, having claimed 19 wickets at an average of 23.05.
Kartikeya had also impressed in his team’s previous two Ranji Trophy matches and registered figures of 4/84 against Saurashtra and 4/110 against Chandigarh.
The versatile spinner had also bagged two four-wicket hauls against South Zone to help guide Central Zone to the Duleep Trophy 2025 final. He took 4/53 from 21 overs in the first innings and followed it up with 4/110 from 39 overs in the second.
Overall, Kartikeya has taken 27 wickets in five matches at an average of 22.48 in the ongoing domestic season.
