Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian, keg cogs in Mumbai’s spin attack, summoned their batting skills to aid a fine rescue act as the defending champions got out of jail at the Eden Gardens on Saturday. Reduced to 25-4 and then 113-7 on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Haryana, Mumbai managed to reach 278-8 at stumps, thanks to a brilliant eighth-wicket partnership of 165 between the two.

No. 9 Kotian was unbeaten on 85, while southpaw Mulani missed a century by just nine runs as he fell to veteran off-spinner Jayant Yadav less than three overs before stumps. The 178-ball vigil saw him hit 10 boundaries.