Ranji Trophy: Rahul, Padikkal flatten Uttarakhand; Karnataka 355/2 on Day 1

LUCKNOW: Barely an hour into the Ranji Trophy semifinal here on Sunday, Uttarakhand captain Kunal Chandela’s decision to bowl first seemed questionable. There was some seam movement and occasional uneven bounce early on, but little else to justify inserting a batting powerhouse like Karnataka on a largely placid surface — particularly with a spin-heavy attack.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Two of Karnataka’s most elegant strokemakers — KL Rahul (141; 211b; 11x4; 5x6) and skipper Devdutt Padikkal (148 batting; 236b; 16x4, 2x6) — produced commanding centuries to power their side to 355/2 in 90 overs. Karnataka began cautiously. Uttarakhand struck in the ninth over when Mayank Agarwal (5), attempting to drive a back of length delivery from Aditya Rawat (2/73), edged to Prashant Chopra at second slip. It proved to be the only breakthrough for the visitors across two sessions.From that point, Rahul and Padikkal stitched together a commanding 278-run partnership for the second wicket — a stand defined by control and classical stroke play. In the near-empty expanse of the Ekana Cricket Stadium, the sound of bat meeting ball — crisp cuts, flowing drives and authoritative pulls — echoed through the day.Padikkal signalled his intent early, opening his account with a backfoot cut off Aditya to the boundary. A typically assured Rahul was a delight to watch. He drove fluently against the pacers and used his feet confidently against the spinners, rarely allowing the bowlers to settle. His fifty came off 86 deliveries, brought up with a square cut off Aditya.There were fleeting opportunities for Uttarakhand. Rahul, on 47, offered a chance when he advanced down the track, only for wicketkeeper Saurabh Rawat to miss a stumping. Later, when Rahul was on 136, a half-chance catch went begging. Rahul reached his 25th first class century off 153 balls, continuing his rich vein of form following a match-winning 130 against Mumbai in the quarterfinal. Left-arm spinner Mayank Mishra, Uttarakhand’s leading wicket-taker this season, was introduced in the 18th over but found little assistance from the surface and struggled to contain the flow of runs.At the other end, Padikkal matched his senior partner stroke for stroke. His half-century came briskly off 65 deliveries. The landmark moment of his innings arrived when he launched former Karnataka teammate J Suchith for a one-handed six over long-on to bring up his hundred.Aditya eventually broke the stand when Rahul closed the face of the bat a touch early and offered a leading edge back to the bowler. It was, however, only a momentary respite for Uttarakhand.With Karnataka’s depth, the run feast continued. Karun Nair (37 batting) joined Padikkal and seamlessly carried the momentum forward. Karun marked the team’s 300 with a deft glance to fine leg for four.By the close of play, Uttarakhand’s bold decision had backfired as Karnataka, powered by two masterful centuries, had turned the contest into a test of endurance for the semifinals debutants, with the promise of more to come.Brief scores: Karnataka 355/2 in 90 overs (KL Rahul 141, Devdutt Padikkal 148 (batting), Karun Nair (batting) 37; Aditya Rawat 2-73) vs Uttarakhand.