Ranji Trophy finals: Vidarbha needs 290 runs in 90 overs to defeat Mumbai

Also, it’s been tough for us because we didn’t bowl our regular spells of four, five or six overs which we do on a normal, flat pitch or on a helpful green pitch

Mumbai pacer Tushar Deshpande admitted that it was a tough day in the office for the bowling unit as Vidarbha ended Day 4 on 248-5, chasing 538 runs for victory, in the Ranji Trophy final at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.

“It’s been tough because the pitch has slowed down considerably. Also, it’s been tough for us because we didn’t bowl our regular spells of four, five or six overs which we do on a normal, flat pitch or on a helpful green pitch. Here it was about bowling in short bursts and putting the batsmen under pressure and giving a supporting role to the spinners,” Deshpande told reporters at stumps.

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Crucial dismissal

Deshpande, who bowled nine overs in the first innings and 10 so far in the second, is awaiting his first wicket in this match. He reckoned Karun Nair’s (74) dismissal by left-arm spinner Musheer Khan was crucial. “That [Nair’s wicket] was crucial because they had a big partnership and the timing was very good [for Mumbai] because with the new man coming in late in the day when play is about to close, it’s always difficult for him. We would have been happier had we got one more wicket today,” added Deshpande.

Tough task ahead

Meanwhile, Nair reckoned that though it will be a tough task to score a further 290 runs on Day Five, the visitors will stick by their never-give-up attitude. “We need to be realistic. It’s a tough task, but if I can say something about this team, it’s that they never give up and they show character each time they are put down,” said Nair, going on to explain how he and skipper Akshay Wadkar (56 not out) built a 90-run fifth-wicket partnership.

“We always knew that if we both [Nair and Wadkar] kept the partnership going, the runs would flow. We just had to put our heads down and bat out the sessions. I could have taken many chances, but it would be at the cost of what? So, the thought process was just to bat and not give them any chances.”

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