New Delhi, Jan 24 (UNI) Shardul Thakur delivered a masterclass in crisis management, smashing a defiant century to rescue Mumbai from a precarious position against Jammu & Kashmir in the Ranji Trophy clash in Mumbai on Friday.
After an early flourish from skipper Rohit Sharma, Mumbai were staring at a massive collapse before Thakur’s unbeaten partnership of 163 with Tanush Kotian turned the game on its head.
Rohit began Mumbai’s second innings in style, thrilling spectators with an array of strokes, including three sixes and two fours. His cameo of 28 was highlighted by a hooked six off Umar Nazir and a flat-bat strike down the ground against Auqib Nabi.
However, his mistimed heave to midwicket triggered a batting collapse. Mumbai lost quick wickets, including those of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, and Shivam Dube, slumping to a dismal 15 for 7 in effective terms.
Shardul then counterattacked with poise, guiding Mumbai to a lead of 188 going into Day 3. With a playoff spot on the line, both teams remain in the hunt, though J&K face a tougher challenge in their next match against table-toppers Baroda, while Mumbai take on Meghalaya.
In Rajkot, Ravindra Jadeja scripted a memorable comeback to domestic cricket, taking 12 wickets to guide Saurashtra to a two-day victory over Delhi. Jadeja’s figures of 7 for 38 in the second innings followed his 5 for 66 in the first, as Delhi’s brittle batting crumbled for 94 in their second outing.
Jadeja’s scalps included Rishabh Pant, who managed only 17 in the second innings after scoring 1 in the first. Saurashtra comfortably chased their 12-run target, boosting their playoff chances in Group D.
In Bengaluru, Karnataka’s Smaran Ravichandran converted his maiden first-class century into a double against Punjab at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The 21-year-old’s 202 helped Karnataka establish a commanding 420-run first-innings lead. Smaran, a product of Karnataka’s Under-23 setup, has been in scintillating form, building on his match-winning performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final last week.
Saturday promises riveting action with Madhya Pradesh’s Rajat Patidar aiming to convert his unbeaten half-century into a big score against Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram. Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, Shubman Gill will have to anchor Punjab’s innings against a fiery Karnataka pace attack as they attempt to salvage pride.
The Ranji Trophy continues to showcase India’s domestic cricketing depth, with rising stars and seasoned campaigners keeping fans on edge.
