Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane once again proved his class, anchoring Mumbai’s first innings with a resolute 159 against Chhattisgarh in a rain-affected Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match at the BKC Ground. Despite adverse weather conditions, Rahane’s brilliant century propelled Mumbai to a formidable total of 406 for eight by the end of play on Sunday.
Ajinkya Rahane celebrates his century. (PTI Photo)
Rahane, who had retired hurt on the first day after reaching 118 due to cramps, made a strong return on the second day to further extend his innings. He faced a total of 303 balls, striking 21 boundaries, before being eventually dismissed caught behind by Aditya Sarwate, who finished with impressive figures of 4/103. Mumbai had resumed their innings at 251 for five. At stumps, Akash Anand stood unbeaten on 60 runs from 148 balls, with Tushar Deshpande providing support at 4 not out. Only 46 overs were possible on the second day, highlighting the impact of the rain interruptions.
In other concurrent Ranji Trophy fixtures:
- Delhi vs. Himachal Pradesh: Delhi showcased a dominant performance against Himachal Pradesh at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. After posting a robust first innings total of 430, Delhi established a significant lead of 265 runs. Key contributions came from Arpit Rana (64), Sanat Sangwan (79), and Yash Dhull (61), further bolstered by Ayush Doseja (75), Sumit Mathur (51), and Anuj Rawat (57). Himachal Pradesh managed to reach 165 for three in their reply, with Sidhant Purohit scoring 70. However, late wickets by Navdeep Saini and Sumit Mathur kept Himachal under considerable pressure.
- Jammu & Kashmir vs. Rajasthan: Jammu & Kashmir asserted their authority over Rajasthan. Rajasthan struggled in their second innings, collapsing to 41/5 after trailing by 132 runs. The star performer for J&K was Auqib Nabi, who delivered a sensational spell, taking 5 wickets for just 5 runs in 6 overs, leaving Rajasthan in a precarious position at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar.
- Hyderabad vs. Puducherry: Hyderabad accumulated a massive 435 runs against Puducherry. Their innings was powered by a superb century from Rahul Gahlaut (114), complemented by half-centuries from Tanmay Agarwal (50), Kodimela Himateja (66), and Rahul Radesh (81). In response, Puducherry reached 25/1, still trailing Hyderabad by a significant 410 runs.
Rahane’s impactful innings underscores his enduring ability to anchor and guide his team under challenging circumstances. Despite the rain-affected nature of the day, Mumbai concluded in a commanding position, illustrating the crucial blend of experience and resilience that seasoned players like Rahane bring to the domestic cricket circuit.