15 March,2024 07:05 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Mumbai players celebrate after winning the Ranji title at Wankhede yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble
For eight years, Mumbai cricket waited for Ranji Trophy title No. 41 to move a notch. That wait ended at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday when Ajinkya Rahane's Mumbai team were crowned kings of domestic red-ball cricket again after beating Vidarbha by 169 runs.
Rahane tried all his options and implemented different tactics, but it was off-spinner Tanush Kotian (4-95), who got the prized scalp of Vidarbha skipper Akshay Wadkar, who scored a fighting 102 (9x4, 1x6).
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Though the Mumbai bowlers needed 255 balls to break Wadkar and Harsh Dubey's 130-run sixth wicket partnership, it took only a short while to dismiss the remaining four batsmen and emerge triumphant. Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur and Dhawal Kulkarni were also part of Mumbai's 2015-16 triumph when Aditya Tare's team beat Saurashtra by an innings and 21 runs at Pune.
"This victory means a lot to us. It is very special. Around 10 [Mumbai] players are representing India across formats, which is a very good sign. We all are happy for the guys [from Mumbai] who are representing India right now," Rahane told reporters on Thursday.
Rahane credited head coach Omkar Salvi for guiding and motivating the team during this journey. "He [Salvi] made a massive difference; credit goes to him. Our journey as a team started in June [2023]. Omkar focused on fitness, creating a great culture in the team, giving freedom to all players, not only on the field but off the field as well. When someone is not doing well, you have to back that individual," Rahane said.
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Omkar, the elder brother of ex-India bowler and current Punjab head coach Avishkar, was Mumbai's bowling coach during the 2015-16 victory campaign. "I think my coaching philosophy is very simple. We have to empower players, give them freedom. We are there to support them. We have to provide a good environment for them. I think our selectors played a major role in providing that security to the players," Salvi remarked.
Pacer Kulkarni, who was playing his last game for Mumbai, claimed 3-15 in the first innings and clean bowled the visitors' last batsman Umesh Yadav. "Winning a final in a tough way is what you want and that's what we did as a team. We hung on to our nerves, put pressure and bowled really well. You could call it bowling in partnership⦠that's what we did," Kulkarni said.
Vidarbha, 248-5, overnight, didn't give up. Wadkar stayed unbeaten on 92 at lunch with Dubey on 57. Wadkar later got his century with a single off Kotian through the covers for his ninth first-class hundred in 51 games, his second in a Ranji final (133 versus Delhi in the 2017-18 summit clash which Vidarbha won by nine wickets in Indore). Finally, Kotian broke the partnership when he trapped Wadkar leg before, which changed the equation in favour of hosts.
The triumphant Mumbai team are well rewarded. Mumbai Cricket Association secretary Ajinkya Naik said: "The MCA will pay an additional sum of R5 crore to the winning Mumbai team. It has been a great year for the MCA as the association has won seven titles and we have made it to the knockout stage in all age groups in BCCI tournaments."
Rs 10cr
MCA adds Rs 5 crore to BCCI's prize money of Rs 5 crore, swelling Mumbai's kitty
Brief scores
Mumbai 224 & 418 beat Vidarbha 105 & 368 (A Wadkar 102, K Nair 74, H Dubey 65, A Taide 32, A Mokhade 32; T Kotian 4-95, M Khan 2-48, T Deshpande 2-53) by 169 runs
