Three outstanding innings and two mini-collapses resulted in Mumbai finding itself on the cusp of victory in its Ranji Trophy 2024-25 Group A tie against arch-rival Maharashtra.
Despite Ruturaj Gaikwad – the flagbearer, and Ankeet Bawane, the veteran, notching up hundreds and rising star Sachin Dhas missing the landmark by just two runs, Maharashtra’s second innings folded up for 388, after conceding a 315-run innings lead.
When the umpires suspended play in what should have been the last over of the penultimate day’s proceedings at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground, Mumbai had wiped out 13 runs of the target of 74. It will be interesting to see if Prithvi Shaw and Ayush Mhatre overhaul the target with 10 wickets to spare, thus handing Mumbai the vital bonus point.
Despite bursts of brilliance with the ball, the day belonged to the three Maharashtra batters. Shardul Thakur and Mohit Avasthi employed the short-ball ploy right from the word go. But Gaikwad made his intentions clear, hooking the first ball of the day’s play over the deep square leg’s head beyond the boundary fence.
Soon after he crossed his 87-ball hundred by sprinting two runs after pulling Thakur, Mumbai got into the defensive mode. Shams Mulani bowled over the wicket outside leg-stump to stifle the run-flow, but Dhas matched Gaikwad in strokeplay.
The duo ran well between the wickets and kept the scoreboard moving. Soon after lunch, Dhas finally faltered into a pull shot off Mohit Avasthi and Thakur ran in from deep square leg to take the catch. So dismayed was Dhas, dismissed on 98, that captain Gaikwad had to offer him a consolatory hug before he took the long walk back to the changing room.
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Mulani was finally rewarded soon afterwards as Gaikwad edged one that pitched around leg-stump and turned to get Ajinkya Rahane in action at slips. Tanush Kotian was introduced way too late into the attack, then wreaked havoc by picking three wickets in eight balls, including a stunning Suryakumar Yadav catch at short midwicket to dismiss Arshin Kulkarni.
Having lost four wickets for 15 runs, despite the 222-run partnership between Gaikwad and Dhas, Maharashtra was in danger of facing an innings defeat, still trailing by 26 runs. But Bawane – driving at his fluent best – then found an ally in Satyajeet Bachhav. Mumbai’s ploy of taking the new ball also worked in Maharashtra’s favour as the duo batted without any trouble.
Minutes after crossing his 24th First Cass hundred and crossing the 8,000 FC runs mark en route, Bawane attempted a reverse sweep off Mulani and was bowled. That resulted in a chaotic finish to the innings as Mohit Avasthi led the rout with Mumbai picking the last four wickets for just five runs.
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