Ranji Trophy 2023-24 quarterfinals: Musheer Khan’s double-century puts Mumbai in strong position on Day 2

Musheer’s perseverance helped Mumbai add vital runs on the board before Bhargav Bhatt’s (7/112) best First-Class figures meant Mumbai finished its first essay at 384.

Mumbai’s Musheer Khan celebrates after scoring a double-century on Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Baroda at the MCA BKC in Mumbai. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/The Hindu

Sarfaraz Khan had converted his first seven First-Class hundreds into 150+ innings, including a triple and two double-centuries. On Saturday, his younger brother Musheer repeated the streak by ensuring his overnight hundred swelled into an unbeaten double.

More importantly, Musheer’s (203 n.o., 357b, 18x4) perseverance helped Mumbai add vital runs on the board before Bhargav Bhatt’s (7/112) best First-Class figures meant Mumbai finished its first essay at 384, midway through the second day’s play of the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal.

Baroda started on a strong note, ending the proceedings at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground at 127 for two.

Shashwat Rawat’s (69 n.o., 88b, 9x4) breezy knock ensured the pendulum of the game stayed right in the middle. The stylish left-hander will have to dig as deep, like Musheer, if Baroda wants to achieve the preliminary objective of gaining ascendancy in the first essay.

Had it not been for veteran Bhatt’s effective variation, Baroda may well have been chasing a 400-plus total.

At lunch, with Musheer batting on 183 and Shardul Thakur accompanying him, despite losing Musheer’s overnight partner Hardik Tamore (caught in slips off left-arm spinner Ninad Rathva), Mumbai would have banked on its long tail to come good.

However, Bhatt ensured Mumbai’s tail did not wag, even as Musheer celebrated a deserving double-hundred after driving Bhatt for a single to long-off.

While Musheer continued to rely on strike rotation, the likes of Shardul, Tanush Kotian and Mohit Avasthi could not emulate him, leaving Musheer – having batted for a marathon 520 minutes – without partners.

Shardul struck in the second over, crashing into the stumps after beating Priyanshu Moliya. While the ace bowler continued to ask questions, the other four bowlers struggled to gauge the nature of the pitch, a slow turner.

It resulted in the bowlers offering too many boundary balls, and Shashwat and opener Jyotsnil Singh made merry. Once Jyotsnil nicked Shams Mulani in the slip cordon, captain Vishnu Solanki middled the ball well to send a cautionary note to the Mumbai camp.

BRIEF SCORES

Mumbai 384 (Musheer Khan 203 n.o., Hardik Tamore 57; Bhargav Bhatt 7/112, Ninad Rathva 3/86) leads Baroda 127/2 (Shashwat Rawat 69 n.o.) by 257 runs.