Ranji Trophy Final: What happens if no team gets a first-innings lead in Karnataka vs Jammu and Kashmir?

Jammu and Kashmir continued to flex its batting muscles as it motored on to 527 for six at stumps on the second day of the Ranji Trophy final against Karnataka in Hubbali.

Paras Dogra along with keeper batter Kanhaiya Wadhawan (70), Sahil Lotra (57 batting) all made handsome contributions as it became a real toil for the Karnataka bowlers save Prasidh Krishna (3/90 in 29 overs) didn’t make much of an impact.

With J&K expected to bat on in the third day and the pitch offering close to nothing for the bowlers, there is a possibility that Karnataka won’t have enough time to complete its first innings.

If Karnataka manages to gain the first-innings lead by the end of the game, it would emerge champions. If it doesn’t do so, and still has wickets in hand in the first innings at the end of the game, there exists a tiebreaker to determine the winner.

What happens if J&K and Karnataka can’t be separated by a first-innings lead?

As per BCCI’s playing conditions for Ranji Trophy, in any of the knockout matches, if an outright win or the first innings lead is not achieved because of any reason, then the winner will be decided by the following criteria:

• a) The team with greater number of points at league stage.
• b) If points are equal, then team with greater number of points of bonus points at the league stage.
• c) If points and bonus points are equal, then the team with greater number of outright wins at the league stage.
• d) If points, bonus points and number of outright wins are equal then the team who has won the match outright against each other if they have already played against each other in the league stage.
• e) If points, bonus points, number of outright wins are equal, and clause (d) is not applicable then team with higher run quotient calculated up to previous game including league phase.
• f) In case of winner cannot be determined after applying above clauses then the winner will be decided by spin of coin, in presence of Match Referee or the Umpires if Match Referee is not present.
• g) In the Finals if winner cannot be determined after applying above clauses “a to e”, then both teams will be declared joint winners. Spin of coin will not be applicable for finals.

This would mean, if the final ends without the conclusion of both first-innings batting efforts, Karnataka will win the Ranji Trophy title as it had more points in the group stage (27) than J&K (24).

Published on Feb 25, 2026