Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy campaign against Chhattisgarh saw a remarkable shift on Day Three. While the experienced players had steadied the ship earlier, it was the team’s promising youngsters who stepped up to dominate, leaving Chhattisgarh struggling at 176 for 6, still a hefty 241 runs behind Mumbai’s formidable total at the MCA Ground on Monday.
Proceedings began with a one-and-a-half-hour delay due to a wet outfield. Once play resumed, Mumbai could only add eight more runs to their overnight score before their innings concluded at a strong 416.
Initially, the pitch offered little help to the fast bowlers, allowing Chhattisgarh’s openers, Ayush Pandey (50 runs from 89 balls, including 7 fours) and Shashank Chandrakar (43 runs from 112 balls, featuring 5 fours and 1 six), to forge a solid 85-run opening partnership.
This comfortable start continued into the post-lunch session until young spinners Himanshu Singh (2 wickets for 33 runs) and Musheer Khan (2 wickets for 29 runs) dramatically turned the tide for Mumbai. Their efforts, combined with three sharp catches from Angkrish Raghuvanshi in close-in positions and two vital wickets from Shams Mulani, triggered a collapse. Chhattisgarh lost six wickets for a mere 82 runs, squandering their early advantage.
The 22-year-old Himanshu, stepping in for Tanush Kotian, initiated Chhattisgarh’s downfall by dismissing the well-set left-hander Pandey, who was caught sharply at silly point by Raghuvanshi. Himanshu, an off-spinner who debuted last season, maintained an impressively tight line, curbing Chhattisgarh’s scoring rate, which had previously soared above five runs per over. He then secured another crucial wicket, having Chandrakar caught at leg-slip by Sarfaraz Khan.
Picking up where Himanshu left off, Musheer Khan exploited the developing grip and turn in the pitch, making the ball dance. The 20-year-old left-arm spinner first snared Sanjeet Desai (15 runs from 33 balls, 1 four) in the final over before the tea break. He continued his excellent spell after tea, dismissing skipper Amandeep Khare, with captain Ajinkya Rahane holding a sharp low catch at first slip.
With the young talent setting the pace, the seasoned Shams Mulani showcased his class in the final session, striking twice in successive overs. He removed Ashutosh Singh (34 runs from 56 balls, 3 fours) and Ajay Mandal, both falling to well-judged catches by Raghuvanshi at silly point and short leg, respectively. Just as Mumbai intensified their attack for a final push, rain intervened, bringing an early end to the day’s play after only 64 overs.
Earlier in the day, left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate reached a significant milestone, claiming his 22nd five-wicket haul in first-class cricket by dismissing Tushar Deshpande, one of Mumbai’s two wickets to fall in the morning session.
Anand Ready for Any Batting Position
Wicketkeeper-batsman Akash Anand, who made his debut last season, has adapted to various batting positions for Mumbai. He expressed no concerns about these changes, stating his primary focus is always on contributing to the team’s success. The 30-year-old has a versatile batting record, opening for the Cricket Club of India in local tournaments and comfortably scoring a century as an opener in last season’s Ranji Trophy semifinal. His first hundred was achieved against Meghalaya while batting at number five. This season, adapting to a lower order role, he recently played a vital knock of 61 runs at number eight, helping Mumbai surpass the 400-run mark against Chhattisgarh. “I was given a specific role and informed that my position in the batting order would change based on team composition and player availability,” Anand explained on Monday. “I’m completely open to batting anywhere. I’ve opened before, and if the situation calls for it, I’ll open again. Otherwise, I’ll bat wherever the team needs me.”