Ranji Trophy: Karnataka faces Andhra test in opening match

Seven months after finishing second best to Jammu & Kashmir in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, Karnataka will begin yet another campaign with the singular aim of bringing home the trophy that has eluded it since 2014-15. The first outing will be against Andhra at Mulapadu near here on Sunday. But, R. Smaran, on captaincy debut (in place of Devdutt Padikkal), and R. Vinay Kumar, for whom it will be a maiden coaching stint in charge of Karnataka, have their task cut out. While K.L.