Ranji Trophy: Watch how Kerala reached the final for the first time in 74 years after a dramatic helmet catch

Kerala reached the Ranji Trophy final for the first time in 74 years after a dramatic semifinal win against Gujarat in Ahmedabad on Friday. On the fifth morning of the match, Gujarat's No. 10 batsman, Arzan Nagwaswalla, attempted a slog-sweep that ricocheted off the helmet of Salman Nizar at silly point and was caught by captain Sachin Baby at first slip. The dismissal left Gujarat short by three runs for the crucial first-innings lead, securing Kerala's place in the final for the first time since their debut in the tournament in 1951-52.

Kerala's long wait ends

Chasing Kerala’s first-innings total of 457, Gujarat managed 455 before their last wicket fell. Kerala’s seasoned players, Jalaj Saxena and Aditya Sarvate, played key roles in helping their side advance. The result was decided in dramatic fashion, with only 28 runs needed and three wickets in hand when the final day’s play began.

Rule behind the dismissal

The controversial dismissal was possible due to a rule introduced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2017. The rule allows a batsman to be caught, stumped, or run out off the helmet worn by a close-in fielder. The revision followed the tragic death of Phillip Hughes and recommendations that higher helmet standards be enforced for batsmen facing fast and medium-pace bowling, wicketkeepers standing up to the stumps, and close-in fielders, except those in slip positions.

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) world cricket committee, which included Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara, and Sourav Ganguly, supported the rule change. In a statement, the committee explained, "It is felt that balls rebounding off a fielder's helmet could equally help or hinder the fielding side, and so the suggestion that rebounds off the helmet make catches easier should be disregarded."

Past criticism of the rule

Australian Test opener Usman Khawaja had previously criticized this rule. In a 2017 social media post, he stated, "A ball hitting the close-in fielder's helmet and caught shouldn't be out. It is not a compulsory fielding position. Keeper is understandable."

Kerala now prepares for their first-ever Ranji Trophy final, aiming to make history in the domestic cricket tournament.