Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Shreyas Iyer scores 142 as Mumbai remains in firm control against Maharashtra

Starting the day with a lead of nearly 100 runs, Mumbai continued its dominance with unbeaten Shreyas and Ayush Mhatre stitching together a 200-run partnership and the latter also scoring a century.

Shreyas Iyer scored 142 runs off 190 balls, helping Mumbai take a lead of over 300 runs at the MCA BKC ground on Friday. | Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini/The Hindu

A record missed. The end of a drought. A memorable outing. And a promising partnership. That sums up the second day of the Maharashtra Derby in the Ranji Trophy between arch-rivals Mumbai and Maharashtra.

Hitesh Walunj, Maharashtra’s left-arm spinner, did halt teenager Ayush Mhatre’s (176, 232b, 22x4, 4x6) march towards becoming the third-youngest Indian to score a First-Class double hundred. However, his fifth five-wicket haul (6-134) could not prevent Shreyas Iyer’s onslaught. Iyer (142, 190b, 12x4, 4x6) ended a 35-month drought without a First-Class century, as the centurions’ 200-run partnership was instrumental in Mumbai taking a massive lead of 315 runs at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground on Saturday.

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Despite Shardul Thakur striking in the opening over, opener Sachin Dhas and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad then put on a solid unbroken 141-run partnership to help Maharashtra end Day Two at 142 for one.

While Dhas blocked and left with ease, Gaikwad was at his brutal best.

Having swapped their batting positions, the duo did not spare anything that was pitched up by the pacers and spinners alike. Gaikwad’s cover drives, including one off Tanush Kotian in the last over of the day’s play, were a treat to watch.

The duo will have to continue the vigil in the same manner that Mhatre and Iyer did in the morning. The two doubled their overnight 97-run association. While Mhatre continued to bat with flair, Iyer rotated strike and created boundary balls at will.

Iyer’s lofted cover drive off Pradeep Dadhe that sailed over the boundary fence into the practice area was one of the highlights of the day. Once Mhatre offered a simple catch to short mid-wicket just before Lunch, Walunj added Suryakumar Yadav’s prized scalp off a mistimed sweep after the break. The spinner completed his fifer by getting Iyer trapped in front of the wickets off a tentative prod.

SCOREBOARD

Maharashtra – 1st innings: 126.

Mumbai – 1st innings: Prithvi Shaw lbw b Dadhe 1, Ayush Mhatre c Bachhav b Walunj 176, Hardik Tamore c Naik b Dadhe 4, Ajinkya Rahane lbw b Walunj 31, Shreyas Iyer lbw b Walunj 142, Suryakumar Yadav c Bachhav b Walunj 7, Shams Mulani c Walunj b Veer 16, Shardul Thakur lbw b Walunj 12, Tanush Kotian c (sub) b Walunj 28, Mohit Avasthi lbw b Bachhav 0, Royston Dias (not out) 9; Extras (b-8, nb-6, w-1): 15; Total (in 103.1 overs): 441.

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-24, 3-123, 4-323, 5-337, 6-366, 7-387, 8-404, 9-413.

Maharashtra bowling: Dadhe 16-1-76-2, Hangargekar 17-0-116-0, Kulkarni 5-1-13-0, Bachhav 23-1-69-1, Walunj 36.1-2-134-6, Veer 6-0-25-1.

Maharashtra – 2nd innings: Siddhesh Veer lbw b Thakur 0, Sachin Dhas (batting) 59, Ruturaj Gaikwad (batting) 80; Extras (b-1, lb-1, w-1): 3; Total (for one wicket in 31 overs): 142.

Fall of wicket: 1-1.

Mumbai bowling: Thakur 8-1-27-1, Avasthi 6-1-25-0, Mulani 10-0-60-0, Kotian 3-0-14-0, Dias 4-1-14-0.