Baroda, Bengal and Mumbai Cash In as Ranji Trophy Round Three Wraps Up

The third round of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27, played from October 26 to October 30, delivered the kind of outright results that shape a first-class season. Baroda led the way with an innings-and-135-run victory after piling up 472 for 8 declared and then bowling their opponents out for 199 and 138 following on. Vidarbha were almost as ruthless, winning by an innings and 27 runs after posting 442 for 8 declared, while Bengal beat Kerala by 287 runs and Karnataka thumped Tripura by an innings and 116 runs after rattling up 490 for 9 declared against totals of 194 and 180. Mumbai, meanwhile, chased down their target without losing a wicket to beat Haryana by 10 wickets, and Tamil Nadu sealed a five-wicket win of their own. There was drama further down the card too, with Manipur edging Arunachal Pradesh by four wickets in a low-scoring finish. Not every game produced a winner — Baroda's high-scoring draw with Jammu and Kashmir, who followed on and closed on 316 for 6, was a reminder of how hard outright wins can be to force on flat tracks. With the round closing on Friday, the table is beginning to take shape, and the teams that banked innings victories have given themselves a valuable early cushion.