While Mumbai’s squad boasts exciting young talents like Ayush Mhatre and Musheer Khan, alongside seasoned veterans such as Ajinkya Rahane and Sarfaraz Khan, it was Siddhesh Lad and Shams Mulani who truly stole the show on Day 1 of the new Ranji Trophy season. Their exceptional partnership orchestrated a magnificent recovery for Mumbai against Jammu & Kashmir at the picturesque Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium.
Against a lush green backdrop, the 33-year-old Siddhesh Lad hammered a superb 116, while Shams Mulani stood firm with an unbeaten 79. Their efforts saw the Shardul Thakur-led Mumbai side reach a commanding 336 for five in 83 overs by stumps. This remarkable turnaround from a precarious 141 for four showcased the resilience of the domestic cricket powerhouse.
Earlier in the day, Mumbai had lost key batsmen Musheer Khan, Ayush Mhatre, Ajinkya Rahane, and Sarfaraz Khan. This left Lad and Mulani with the crucial task of stabilizing the innings, which they did spectacularly by building a vital 159-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
During the morning session, the grassy pitch heavily favored Jammu & Kashmir’s fast bowlers. Aaqib Nabi struck early, dismissing Musheer Khan caught behind by wicketkeeper Kanhaiya Wadhawan in the very first over. Yudhvir Singh then followed up with two quick wickets, coaxing edges from Ayush Mhatre and Ajinkya Rahane.
Sarfaraz Khan looked set for a substantial innings, swiftly scoring 42 runs off just 48 balls and contributing to a 67-run partnership with Lad. However, his promising knock was cut short in the 40th over by a brilliant direct hit from J&K captain Paras Dogra, leaving him run out despite a desperate dive.
With the pitch becoming more batsman-friendly after lunch, Lad and Mulani seized every scoring opportunity, launching a brilliant counter-attack. Lad’s magnificent innings culminated in his 11th First Class century, continuing his impressive form from last season where he was Mumbai’s leading run-scorer with 602 runs in their 2024-25 Ranji semifinal run.
Lad’s superb innings at No. 4 eventually concluded in the evening session. Attempting to charge left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq, he was outsmarted by a delivery that spun sharply past his bat, leading to a stumping.
Match Summary: Mumbai – 1st Innings: Musheer Khan c Wadhawan b Nabi 0, Ayush Mhatre c Wadhawan b Yudhvir 28, Ajinkya Rahane c Wadhawan b Yudhvir 27, Siddhesh Lad st. Wadhawan b Mushtaq 116, Sarfaraz Khan (run out) 42, Shams Mulani (batting) 79, Akash Anand (batting) 15; Extras (no-balls-4, leg-byes-25): 29; Total (for five wickets in 83 overs): 336.
Fall of Wickets: 1-0, 2-61, 3-74, 4-141, 5-300.
Jammu & Kashmir Bowling: Nabi 19-7-43-1, Nazir 18-6-51-0, Yudhvir 16-3-82-2, Mushtaq 17-3-73-1, Lotra 10-1-46-0, Samad 3-1-16-0.
Toss: Jammu & Kashmir.