Mumbai thrash Odisha in Ranji Trophy: Key takeaways
Defending champions Mumbai thrashed Odisha in their Elite Group A match of the Ranji Trophy. The win was made possible by the brilliant bowling of Shams Mulani and Himanshu Singh, who shared nine wickets between them. Mulani's 11 wickets in the match earned him the Player of the Match award. The win comes after he was dropped from the India A team, despite performing consistently in domestic cricket.
Mumbai's massive 1st innings total
Mumbai posted a mammoth first innings total of 602/4, courtesy Shreyas Iyer's 233 and Siddhesh Lad's unbeaten 169. Odisha, in reply, were bundled out for a mere 285 in their first innings. Despite bowling nearly 95 overs, Mumbai skipper Ajinkya Rahane enforced a follow-on. The tactical move saw Odisha being bowled out for a paltry 214 in their second innings, handing Mumbai an innings and 103 runs outright win.
Mulani and Singh's bowling prowess
Mulani and Singh were key to Mumbai's win, picking five for 71 and four for 77 respectively. Their efforts helped Odisha get bundled out for mere 214 in the second innings. Mulani was especially effective against Odisha's Aashirwad Swain, who he dismissed soon after he completed his half-century. This was the turning point of the match, further cementing Mumbai's dominance.
Singh's strategy and Rahane's guidance
Singh, a promising off-spinner, revealed his strategy after the match. He said most of his wickets were caught in the first slip on straighter ones due to less turn. He also praised Rahane's calm demeanor and guidance, crediting him for allowing him to set his fields and bowl freely. Singh highlighted the collaborative approach they take in strategizing, with Rahane stepping in with new ideas if their initial plans are not effective.
Iyer makes his presence felt with majestic 233
Iyer played a magnificent innings of 233, smashing 24 fours and nine sixes. This is now his highest first-class score. Iyer resumed Day 2 at an overnight score of 152, having already registered his 15th First-Class century on Day 1. He quickly brought up his 200 off just 201 balls, bettering his own highest First-Class score of 202. Playing his 79th match, Iyer owns 6,288 runs at 48-plus. In addition to 15 tons, he also owns 33 fifties.
Partnership that helped Mumbai stamp their authority
Iyer walked in to bat when Mumbai were 154/3, after being asked to bat first by Odisha skipper Govinda Poddar. He joined hands with Siddhesh, and the duo put on a mammoth 354-run stand for the fourth wicket. Siddesh was in solid form and scored an unbeaten ton. He slammed his 9th FC ton and surpassed 4,500 runs in FC cricket (4,537).
Mulani steals the show with 11 scalps
Mulani's 6/115 and 5/71 helped Mumbai dominate the show against Odisha batters. He now owns 15 five-wicket hauls in FC cricket. He also has seven 10-wicket match hauls in the format.
