Not for nothing do teams never underestimate Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. This time, it has taken two unlikely heroes to script their latest trademark fightback.
When Mumbai lost Ajinkya Rahane (56, 148b, 3x4, caught at backward short leg off off-spinner Amit Yadav) with the score at 208 for seven in their second innings, they looked to be sliding towards an embarrassing outright defeat at the hands of Goa on day three of their Ranji Trophy Group D clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
However, their spinners Tanush Kotian (57 not out, 88b, 5x4, 1x6) and Shams Mulani (49 not out, 130b, 4x4) produced a gallant, unbeaten 114-run partnership for the eighth wicket to help Mumbai stage a miraculous comeback in the match and reach 322 for seven.
Thanks to Kotian and Mulani’s resilient effort, which must've given Goa plenty of headache by now, Mumbai have a 158-run lead in the bag, with three wickets left on the last day. They would hope that the duo continues in the same vein in the first session on Day Four, so that their bowlers get around two sessions to have a final crack at Goa.
At the moment, either of the teams must be hoping for an outright win in what has turned out to be a simply riveting contest.
Mulani’s brave effort with the bat followed up the left-arm spinner’s six for 107 in Goa’s first innings. In the last match against Saurashtra, he had returned a match haul of 11 for 169.
Mumbai seem to have unearthed a quality all-rounder in this 24-year-old.
