Published: Jan 11, 2017, 07:30 AM (IST)
Edited: Jan 11, 2017, 05:26 PM (IST)
Good Morning, शुभ प्रभात! Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live cricket blog session of Day Two of the summit clash of the 83rd edition of Ranji Trophy. The two best sides of the 2016-17 edition are playing the summit clash of India’s premier domestic tournament at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. After dominating the first day’s play, Gujarat are already eyeing their maiden title, while Mumbai are known to tighten the noose as the game progresses. As of now, winning it for the 42nd time is what will be in their minds. Both the sides registered outright wins in the semi-final. Mumbai won against a strong Tamil Nadu, while Gujarat bettered a spirited MS Dhoni-mentored Jharkhand.
There was enough grass on the surface to keep the bowlers interested, and by the look of it so far, an outright win is likelihood. Gujarat bowlers won them the Day One, as Mumbai’s woes with the bat extended in the finale too. Gujarat got the toss and an umpiring howler to their favour, but nothing takes away from the discipline their bowlers exhibited. In absence of Jasprit Bumrah, the experienced RP Singh, 22-year-old Chintan Gaja and the bespectacled Rujul Bhatt claimed two wickets each to bowl out Mumbai for 228.
“The thing with having a person like RP [Singh] in the team is that it is very good the youngsters, as they get good guidance as to they can adapt to the situations and on different wickets. He is always there on the mid-on or mid-off guiding the bowlers. He has done a terrific job for us and our young bowlers especially,” Manpreet Juneja credited RP after the day’s play.
Bowling out Mumbai for a paltry score, it is now up to the Gujarat batsmen to make most of their bowlers’ heroics on Day One. Big guns Priyank Panchal and Samit Gohel are out in the middle with the former requiring 146 to go past VVS Laxman’s tally in a Ranji season.
Day Two promises to be another exciting affair. With grass on the track and coolness in the air, all eyes will be on Shardul Thakur and Vijay Gohil.
