MCA to review Mumbai’s Ranji ouster in emergent meeting

Skipper Ajinkya Rahane after Mumbai’s draw v Maharashtra on Friday. Pic/Ashish Raje

Mumbai's ouster in the league stage of the Ranji Trophy on Friday has prompted the Mumbai Cricket Association's Apex Council to review the Ajinkya Rahane-led team's performance in their next emergent meeting. The 41-time champions claimed 24 points from seven games in Elite Group ‘B', in which they won three, lost two and drew two matches. Mumbai's must-win game against Maharashtra ended in a draw at the Brabourne Stadium on Friday.

MCA secretary Ajinkya Naik

"We [MCA] were definitely expecting a championship [win] from our Mumbai team. We will review our performances across all age group teams including the Ranji team in our upcoming emergent meeting and try to find out where we can work things positively," MCA secretary Ajinkya Naik told Sunday mid-day. Mumbai last won the national championship in 2015-16 under Aditya Tare. They were coached then by Chandrakant Pandit.

Rahane, who scored two centuries, emerged Mumbai's top-scorer with 634 runs in the tournament. Opener Prithvi Shaw, who made a comeback to India's T20 squad, had 595 runs under his belt, while Sarfaraz Khan, who missed the crucial game against Maharashtra due to viral fever, amassed 556 runs.

Also Read: Ajinkya Rahane: No one bigger than team

Spin bowling all-rounder

Tanush Kotian, who came up with a brave 93 against Maharashtra despite six stitches on his hand, totalled 303 runs, averaging 101 apart from 20 scalps with his off-spin. Left-arm spinner Shams Mulani was consistent with 46 wickets, while pacers Tushar Deshpande and Mohit Avasthi claimed 23 and 21 respectively.