Positively brilliant team!

A collective effort paved the way for a comprehensive victory in Ranji Trophy, demonstrating Mumbai’s depth and tenacity in overcoming challenging situations on the cricket field

Mumbai lions once again proved that even with several top players on national duty, they could rally with a mix of experienced and out-of-form players.

Let us ponder over the quality absentees due to India duty and injury. India captain Rohit Sharma just didn’t lead his country well to a 4-1 win over England. He let his bat talk too. His young opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal could well be the world’s finest young batsmen, who plundered two double hundreds against the tourists. 

Sarfaraz Khan’s hunger for runs impressed one and all in the three Tests he figured in, while the injured Suryakumar Yadav can turn a game on its head in quick time.

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Ajinkya Rahane showcased his leadership prowess and delivered on the big stage. The team his team beat was of high quality, a far cry from what we saw in my playing days. That said, their decision to field first last Sunday either displayed a defensive mindset or overconfidence in their Test bowler Umesh Yadav to dismantle the Mumbai batting line-up.

However, both of Vidarbha's opening bowlers failed to execute plans effectively, leaking runs both in front and square of the wicket. It appeared that their bowling lacked strategic thinking and adaptability to the conditions.

As Mumbai's innings progressed, their openers seized the opportunity presented by Vidarbha's wayward bowling, efficiently punishing any deliveries that strayed from the desired lines and lengths. With a keen eye and deft strokes, they accumulated runs steadily, building a solid foundation for their team.

However, the game saw a notable shift when Yash Thakur was introduced in the bowling attack. With his astute understanding of the conditions and exceptional control over his line and length, Thakur immediately made an impact. His deliveries consistently hit the right areas on the pitch, extracting movement and bounce, thereby making life difficult for the batsmen.

Displaying a repertoire of skills, Dubey mesmerised the batsmen with his flight, spin, and subtle variations. His ability to deceive batsmen with flighted deliveries and extract turn from the surface showcased a level of skill that would not be out of place in the Indian cricket team.

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Thakur and Dubey formed a potent bowling combination, applying sustained pressure on the opposition batsmen and chipping away at their confidence.

Their performances served as testament to their talent with Dubey especially proving himself as a bowler capable of challenging even established players at the highest level of the game.

Despite their strong start, Mumbai's batsmen faltered due to poor shot selection, allowing Vidarbha to stage a comeback. However, Shardul Thakur's courageous innings of 75  helped Mumbai reach a total of 224—a score that was considered relatively modest given the team's initial promise.

Nevertheless, Mumbai's fortunes took a dramatic turn in the second innings. Shardul supported by the aggressive bowling of the retiring Dhawal, led a spirited assault on the Vidarbha batting line-up. Their relentless attack pushed Vidarbha on the back foot, creating ample opportunities for the spinners to exploit.

Spinners Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian capitalised on the pressure created by Thakur and Dhawal, weaving a web around the visiting team's batsmen. With skillful variations in flight, turn, and pace, the spinners dismantled Vidarbha's batting order, restricting them to a paltry 105 on what seemed to be a favourable batting wicket.

This remarkable turnaround not only highlighted Mumbai's resilience but also underscored the pivotal role played by Thakur and Dhawal in shifting the momentum of the game in their team's favour. Their collective efforts paved the way for a comprehensive victory, demonstrating Mumbai's depth and tenacity in overcoming challenging situations on the cricket field.

In the second innings, Rahane, found his form at a crucial juncture, orchestrating a partnership of 130 with promising newcomer Musheer, a product of maidan cricket. He showcased his talent with a second first-class hundred through sensible batting. This set the stage for Iyer to play a blistering innings, extending Mumbai's lead beyond Vidarbha's reach. Mumbai's batsmen dominated to set a daunting target for their opponents.

This victory underlines the importance of mental fortitude in cricket. Coaches must instill in their teams the mindset that games are won and lost in the head. Making excuses before the game starts and conceding early defeat are not the traits of champions. To be a champion, one must be adaptable to any playing surface, focus on finding solutions rather than complaining, and strive to emerge victorious.

The leadership of Rahane and the resilient attitude of the bowlers, who not only scored runs, but also took crucial wickets, with invaluable support from the coaching staff, resulted in this triumph.

This Ranji Trophy victory evokes memories of my debut season for Mumbai in 1980-81. Mumbai’s India players Sunil Gavaskar, Karsan Ghavri, Dilip Vengsarkar and Sandeep Patil were on the tour of Australia when the season began. Later, Ravi Shastri was summoned for the New Zealand leg of the tour.

Under the leadership of Eknath Solkar and the guidance of our esteemed mentor Ashok Mankad, affectionately known as 'Kaka,' Mumbai's young brigade rose to the occasion and won the trophy by beating Delhi in the final, the same domestic stalwarts which thwarted Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy surge in the previous two seasons.

The future is nothing short of exciting.

1983 World Cupper Balvinder Singh Sandhu coached Mumbai’s 1996-97 team to Ranji Trophy glory

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