Pacer Lakshya Garg scalps six including the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane for a duck
Can Goa pull off their biggest-ever win on a cricket field? Will we see the biggest upset of this Ranji Trophy season?
Playing Mumbai for the first time in the Ranji Trophy, Goa thrived on seamer Lakshay Garg (six for 46) and off-spinner Amit Yadav's (four for 47) superb efforts to bundle out the 41-time Ranji champions for just 163 in 52. 4 overs on a stunning Day One of their Group D match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Coming off his monumental 275 against Saurashtra in the last game, Sarfaraz Khan (63, 110b, 9x4) was once again the standout performer for Mumbai, who are in danger of slipping in this 'banana skin' encounter.
Capitalising on their bowlers' fabulous show, Goa coasted to 114 for two at stumps, with opener Amogh Desai (51 not out, 106b, 7x4) - looking solid in the company of skipper Snehal Kauthankar (16 not out) - rounding off a perfect day for them, after Suryansh Prabhudessai hit a stroke-filled 40 (45b, 7x4).
Achieving his career-best figures in First-Class cricket, Garg rocked Mumbai's boat soon after they won the toss and chose to bat first, reducing them to 30 for three by the 10th over, taking the scalps of skipper Prithvi Shaw (9, caught at second slip), Aakarshit Gomel (21, caught behind) and last match's centurion Ajinkya Rahane (0, lbw). He later sent back Aditya Tare (0, caught at mid-off by Amit Yadav), Sarfaraz, who edged a scoop to 'keeper Eknath Kerkar to give Garg his fifth wicket, and Dhawal Kulkarni (0).
Naturally, the 26-year-year-old, who'd taken 64 wickets in 19 First-Class games@28. 82 before this game, wants this show to attract an IPL franchise's attention. "I really want to play at a higher level - India A or in the IPL. I don't want to get stuck playing only in the Ranji Trophy. My stats are pretty good in all formats. I'm just waiting for my opportunity," Garg told TOI from Ahmedabad.
"I belong to a family of die-hard cricket fans. My mother (Namita Garg) used to play cricket for her school. They're very happy today," he said.
Taking his third five-wicket haul, Garg didn't get overawed while bowling to some of the country's top batsmen. "When I bowl, I don't think that I'm bowling to a Rahane or a Shaw. One ball is enough to get any batsman out, so I wasn't under any pressure when I bowled to them. I knew my abilities and I backed them," Garg said. "I swing the ball both ways. I was just focusing on bowling in the right areas, as the ball was moving around. I just planned my wickets well. I bowled a bouncer, followed by an outswinger and then an inswinger to Ajinkya. He tried to leave the ball, but was out lbw. He didn't expect the ball to come in so much. Sarfaraz also would've been bowled off my first ball, but the ball didn't come in that much," he explained.
Earlier, Mumbai gave a Ranji debut to leggie Prashant Solanki.
