Mumbai vs Karnataka: Suryakumar Yadav happy with Mumbai's fightback

Mumbai Captain Suryakumar Yadav during the Ranji Trophy cricket match against Karnataka. Picture courtesy/ PTI

After being bowled out cheaply for the third innings running this season, Mumbai captain Suryakumar Yadav sounded pleased at the late evening fight back that was orchestrated by his spin bowlers to reduce Karnataka to 79-3 in reply to his side's first innings tally of 194 on Day One of the Ranji Trophy League game at the MCA's Bandra Kurla Complex ground on Thursday.

"I think our bowlers showed a lot of character after we got out for 194. I didn't know there will be turn on Day One. I am happy to get three wickets," said Suryakumar, who top-scored with a typically counter-punching 77 with 10 fours and a couple of sixes in his 94-ball knock that helped Mumbai recover from a sorry-reading 60-6 before lunch.

"We are back in the game very nicely. We will try and put them under pressure early on tomorrow. It will be the key," said the home side skipper confidently.

While praising the four-pronged Karnataka pace attack that brought Mumbai to its knees, Suryakumar also hailed the track as a "sporting one".

"In one line it's a completely sporting wicket on which you need to apply yourself to get runs. They bowled really well in the first session before drinks - right up in the areas.

"We could have definitely applied ourselves more but it was better than the last game [v Railways who scored an outright victory over the 41-time champions]. We actually threw our wickets away that time," said Suryakumar, adding that his even team members "were surprised how much the ball was turning on Day One itself."

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