Ranji Trophy 2023-24 Final: Harsh Dubey relishes coming out on top after cat-and-mouse with Mumbai captain Rahane

Dubey, the 21-year-old, has been switching between Vidarbha’s Under-23 and Ranji Trophy side right through the season and took three wickets on the first day of the summit clash.

Vidarbha’s Harsh Dubey in action during Vidarbha’s Ranji Trophy final against Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/The Hindu

Harsh Dubey, the young left-arm spinner, had earmarked a key batter to trap a day before Vidarbha’s Ranji Trophy final, and he was delighted to have executed his plan to perfection.

Of the three wickets that the young spinner picked to leave Mumbai in a tizzy, he enjoyed Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane’s dismissal the most.

“I enjoyed Ajinkya Rahane’s wicket the most. Before the match, I had made up my mind to dismiss him. I always do it. Before every match, (I) pick a player whom I want to dismiss,” Dubey said excitedly.

“It’s my best wicket in Ranji Trophy till now. After bowling the stump line, I gave him balls to drive. I thought that there were chances of the ball going in the air if Rahane drives it as the ball was getting stuck on the wicket. The plan succeeded.”

Rahane’s attempt to break the shackles resulted in an uppish drive that was latched on to by Dhruv Shorey stretching to his left at mid-off.

Dubey, the 21-year-old, has been switching between Vidarbha’s Under-23 and Ranji Trophy side right through the season.

The youngster stressed that the experience of having been crowned champion in the inter-state age-group championships helped him enter the final without any pressure.

“There was no pressure of the final. We have won the Under-16, Under-19 and Under-23 finals in the past, so, there was no such pressure of the final,” Dubey said.

“I was treating it as a normal game and not thinking of it as a big game. I am taking it as just another Ranji [Trophy] game against Mumbai.”