Ranji Trophy: Shardul Thakur optimistic about Mumbai's quarter-final prospects
What's the story
Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur is optimistic about his team's chances of reaching the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals.
He stressed on the importance of unity and resilience in their upcoming must-win match against Meghalaya.
Despite needing help from other teams to progress, Thakur is hopeful.
"The message from the coach and captain is simple. We need to stick together and play together as a team," he said talking to The Indian Express on the eve of the game.
Strategic outlook
Mumbai's path to quarter-finals depends on other teams
Currently on 22 points, Mumbai will look to win with a bonus point to remain in the race for qualification.
Meanwhile, their fate also hinges on the result of the match between Baroda and Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) in Vadodara.
If J&K beat Baroda outright and Mumbai win outright with bonus points, they could make it.
However, if Baroda either draw or beat J&K, Mumbai's chances will be all but over.
Team composition
Mumbai to field young talent in crucial match
For their decisive league match, Mumbai will miss star players like Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer.
Instead, the selectors have opted to give young talents like Ayush Mhatre, Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Suryansh Shedge a chance to shine.
This decision highlights the team's commitment to nurturing new talent while also adding an element of unpredictability to their game strategy.
Pre-match sentiments
Thakur emphasizes belief and preparation ahead of match
Thakur also emphasized on the need to believe and prepare for their next match.
"It's about believing. When chips are down, we have to believe that we can come on top," he said.
He added that the Mumbai team has a history of overcoming challenges when the chips are down, and hoped they would keep that attitude in their all-important match against Meghalaya.
Recent loss vs J&K
All-round J&K defeat Mumbai in Ranji Trophy after 10 years
J&K defeated Mumbai for the first time in a decade.
Mumbai's batting crumbled under J&K's pace attack, while Shardul Thakur's fifty got Mumbai to a first-innings score of 120/10.
In reply to Mumbai's first innings, J&K scored 206 runs, taking an 86-run lead. Meanwhile, Mumbai's second innings witnessed a brilliant fightback from Thakur and Tanush Kotian, setting a target of 205. Thakur smashed a century.
However, J&K chased down the target of 205 runs with five wickets in hand.