Match context

The Nashik Ranji Trophy fixture between Maharashtra and Saurashtra runs from November 1–4, 2025 at Hutatma Anant Kanhere Ground (Golf Club Ground), a marquee home venue bringing first-class cricket back to the city with strong administrative support and match operations in place. The Nashik Ranji Trophy match is part of the Elite Group B schedule, drawing major domestic and IPL names to a ground known locally as Anant Kanhere Maidan, with BCCI-appointed officials and a neutral curator ensuring a fair contest. Expect packed stands and intense sessions as the Nashik Ranji Trophy spotlight raises the stakes for both teams’ early-season momentum in the 2025–26 campaign

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Venue and conditions

The Nashik Ranji Trophy will be staged at Anant Kanhere Maidan, a venue known to offer morning seam with later assistance for spinners as the surface wears, creating a classic red-ball balance over four days. Match timings listed for this Nashik Ranji Trophy game indicate a 09:30 start, with the first hour crucial for openers due to cooler air and potential lateral movement off a fresh deck. Ground operations, neutral curation, and local logistics have been readied for the Nashik Ranji Trophy week, elevating the spectator experience and player preparation standards.

Confirmed squads

For the Nashik Ranji Trophy clash, Maharashtra’s announced squad includes Ankit Bawne (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prithvi Shaw, Arshin Kulkarni, Jalaj Saxena, Mukesh Choudhary, Vicky Ostwal, Rajneesh Gurbani, Pradeep Dadhe, Siddhesh Veer, Harshal Kate, Saurabh Nawale (wk), Mandar Bhandari (wk), Siddharth Mhatre, Hitesh Walunj, and Ramkrishna Ghosh. Saurashtra’s squad for the Nashik Ranji Trophy game features Jaydev Unadkat (captain), Chetan Sakariya, Harvik Desai (wk), Arpit Vasavada, Prerak Mankad, Chirag Jani, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Parth Bhut, Yuvrajsinh Dodiya, Jay Gohil, Tarang Gohel, Hetvik Kotak, Ansh Gosai, Ankur Panwar, Kevin Jivrajani, Hiten Kanbi, backed by coach Neeraj Odedra and staff. These official lists mean the Nashik Ranji Trophy contest should field a balanced mix of seasoned pros and rising talents on both sides.

Key players: Maharashtra

• Ruturaj Gaikwad: A marquee batter whose red-ball temperament and IPL pedigree can anchor Maharashtra’s top order in the Nashik Ranji Trophy setting, especially if morning moisture tests technique.​
• Prithvi Shaw: A high-ceiling opener capable of transferring pressure back on the attack; an early Shaw–Gaikwad stand could define Day 1 of the Nashik Ranji Trophy game.​
• Ankit Bawne: The captain’s experience at No. 4/5 stabilizes collapses and turns starts into big ones, a crucial trait in the Nashik Ranji Trophy four-day format.​
• Jalaj Saxena: An elite domestic allrounder whose off-spin and batting depth give Maharashtra flexibility across long Nashik Ranji Trophy spells.​
• Mukesh Choudhary: Left-arm angle with new ball skills to exploit any early movement at Anant Kanhere Maidan in the Nashik Ranji Trophy mornings.​
• Vicky Ostwal: Left-arm spin brings control and drift; his middle-session overs could choke runs during the Nashik Ranji Trophy middle phases

Key players: Saurashtra

• Jaydev Unadkat: A master of domestic conditions with relentless accuracy; his leadership and new-ball nous are central to Saurashtra’s Nashik Ranji Trophy plans.​
• Chetan Sakariya: Left-arm seam variety pairs with Unadkat to test Maharashtra’s right-handers through the cordon in the Nashik Ranji Trophy bout.​
• Arpit Vasavada: Middle-order rock who converts starts; crucial to batting time in the Nashik Ranji Trophy across sessions two and three.​
• Harvik Desai: Compact technique and wicketkeeping consistency add balance; his dismissals and batting contributions can swing the ​
• Prerak Mankad: Multi-skill utility offers batting depth and useful seam; ideal for long, attritional Nashik Ranji Trophy phases.​
• Dharmendrasinh Jadeja: Left-arm spin that thrives on footmarks later in the game; could be decisive on Day 3–4 of the.

Pitch and venue watch

Anant Kanhere Maidan, formerly the Golf Club Ground, has a history of first-class contests with early seam movement and later assistance for spin, a profile to track closely for the Nashik Ranji Trophy match-up. With a neutral BCCI curator overseeing preparation this week, the surface should aim for balance something that rewards discipline in the first hour and shot selection thereafter. Session timings indicate a 09:30 IST start, making the first 10–12 overs of each innings the most challenging passage in the for openers.

Tactical battles to watch

• New-ball duel: Unadkat and Sakariya versus Gaikwad and Shaw is the headline contest, where movement against attacking intent will define early momentum.​
• Middle-order grind: Bawne and Saxena managing Parth Bhut’s control and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja’s accuracy is pivotal across the Nashik Ranji Trophy middle sessions.​
• Spin in the fourth innings: If the game goes deep, left-arm spinners on both sides could dictate theendgame with rough outside the right-hander’s off stump.​

Form guide and head-to-head notes

Recent schedule listings place this as an Elite Group B tie in a tightly packed round, with both teams eyeing table ascendency via first-innings leads at the stop. Historical Maharashtra Saurashtra red-ball meetings have swung with conditions, suggesting the Nashik Ranji Trophy outcome will likely hinge on first-session discipline and lower-order runs. With both squads confirmed on the eve of play, the fixture sets up as a classic balance of attack and patience

Fan guide

Expect gates to open early with practice viewing possible from select stands; plan for a 09:30 IST start and cooler morning air at the venue. Local enthusiasm is high after administrative readiness, so aim to arrive early for seating and soak in the revived big-match atmosphere of the Nashik Ranji Trophy. With star players in town, autograph and photo opportunities are likely post-stumps around a buzzing environment.

Bottom line

The clash brings elite domestic cricket back to a storied venue with two balanced squads and multiple India/IPL names, promising a four-day examination of skill and temperament. If Maharashtra’s top order absorbs the new ball and Saurashtra’s seamers strike early, the result may come down to spin control and tail-end resistance on Days 3–4. Either way, the fixture is positioned as a must-watch early-season marker for both teams’ ambitions in 2025–26.

Prediction factors

• If Maharashtra’s openers blunt the new ball, the could tilt toward a big first-innings platform for Bawne’s middle order.​
• If Saurashtra’s left-arm pair strikes early, the may compress into a low-to-mid scoring contest decided by fourth-innings spin.​
• Fielding intensity and catching will likely separate the sides in this fixture given the expected slim margins across sessions.

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