Shardul Thakur continued his impressive form in the Ranji Trophy, strengthening his case for a return to India’s Test squad. After a player-of-the-match performance against Meghalaya, where he claimed four wickets in both innings, including a hat-trick, Thakur delivered yet another match-defining spell.
He picked up a six-wicket haul, helping Mumbai gain a narrow yet crucial 14-run lead over Haryana. On Day Three of the quarterfinal match, Haryana was dismissed for 301 runs shortly after the first hour of play.
Thakur, who had taken one wicket on Sunday, dominated the morning session by removing five more batters. He started the day by dismissing overnight unbeaten batter Rohit Sharma in the first over. Later, with the second new ball, he wrapped up the innings, finishing with figures of 6 for 58.
His outstanding performance reaffirmed his confidence in making an international comeback.
“I am always in India contention. Now, I have to continue doing the good work,” said the 33-year-old, who last played a Test match against South Africa in Centurion in December 2023.
Suryakumar Yadav’s Return to Form
Following Rohit Sharma’s century against England in the second ODI, India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav found his rhythm in red-ball cricket, scoring a fluent 70. He started confidently, striking a boundary on his first ball and executing a well-placed reverse-sweep against Jayant Yadav.
Initially scoring 28 off just 23 balls, his momentum slowed down slightly. He was dropped at 31 at first slip, but he soon regained his touch, playing well-timed late cuts to reach his first half-century in 14 innings.
Suryakumar’s innings ended when he attempted to pull Anuj Thakral for six but mistimed the shot, handing an easy catch to Amit Rana at mid-on. He departed for 70 off 86 balls, including eight fours and two sixes.
Rahane Anchors Mumbai’s Innings
Skipper Ajinkya Rahane played a more cautious innings, anchoring Mumbai’s batting effort. After losing openers Ayush Mhatre and Akash Anand cheaply before lunch, Rahane built a 52-run third-wicket stand with Siddhesh Lad (43).
Rahane reached his third fifty of the season, his second consecutive, by pulling Nishant Sindhu over mid-wicket for a boundary. By the end of the day, he remained unbeaten on 88 off 142 balls, hitting 10 boundaries. He was well-supported by Shivam Dube (batting on 30), as the duo batted out the final 11 overs, ensuring Mumbai remained in a strong position with a 292-run lead at stumps.
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