Sunday’s Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha affords Mumbai’s Ajinkya Rahane a chance to lead team to victory for the third time in campaign-ending games after Dharamsala (2017) and Brisbane (2021)
Mumbai skipper Ajinkya Rahane during a nets session before the Ranji Trophy final at Wankhede on Saturday. Pics/Atul Kamble
Ajinkya Rahane, who led India to three Test victories against the feisty Australians (final Test at Dharamsala in 2016-17 as well as Melbourne and Brisbane in 2020-21) has a great chance to lead a side to success again in a grand finale as Mumbai take on Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy final at the Wankhede Stadium from today.
“Now we are in the final. We don’t want to shift focus to the result or outcome. We still have to follow our process. It is just another game. As a captain, my focus personally is to be in the moment.
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“We’ll try and play session by session. In four-day, five-day cricket, it’s important to give it your best in each and every session and try to win every session,” Rahane told reporters on the eve of the final on Saturday.
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Nine tons for Mumbai
There have been nine centuries this season for Mumbai, three of which were scored by No. 9 Shardul Thakur, No. 10 Tanush Kotian and No. 11 Tushar Deshpande. All-rounder Shivam Dube, who played five games and is not available due to a side strain, smashed two vital centuries. Not being among the season’s centurions has not caused the skipper any anxiety.
“I’m not anxious at all. I’m happy with the way we are playing as a team. I’m batting well. When you’re doing well, you have to respect that, you have to stay humble. You have to respect the game and keep working towards your goals. I’m working hard, I’m obviously still hungry to do well [and] I’m not at all worried or anxious about anything.”
Rahane’s total of 134 runs in the Ranji Trophy so far includes only one half century.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai skipper took on board the fact that Vidarbha have a well-oiled batting machinery. Test triple centurion Karun Nair (616 runs) and Atharva Taide (529) have scored two centuries each in the season. Opener Dhruv Shorey and wicketkeeper-batsman Akshay Wadkar are also among the top run-getters with 549 and 530 respectively.
Nair, who previously represented Karnataka, will have happy Wankhede memories as his 560-ball match-winning 328 for Karnataka helped beat Tamil Nadu in the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy final at this very ground.
Vidarbha’s strong bowling
Vidarbha are well equipped on the bowling front too, with left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate (40 wickets), pacers Aditya Thakare and Test bowler Umesh Yadav claiming 33 and 27 scalps in the season respectively.
Akshay Wadkar, who was part of the 2017-18 and 2018-19 Ranji Trophy triumphs, said that his side are ready to take on the might of Mumbai. “We have special strategy to counter international players like Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Shardul Thakur and Prithvi Shaw. We are ready with plan A and B for all players,” Wadkar said on Saturday, acknowledging Mumbai’s batting strength till No. 11.
With the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) throwing open the gates for cricket fans to watch the action free of charge, there could be a healthy turnout at the Wankhede Stadium during the five-day affair.
Jaiswal, Sarfaraz keen to play final
Mumbai boys Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan, who were part of Rohit Sharma’s India team which beat England by an innings and 64 runs inside three days in Dharamsala on Saturday, were keen on being part of the Ranji Trophy final.
It is learnt both batsmen contacted Mumbai Cricket Association secretary Ajinkya Naik and expressed their desire to reach Mumbai in time for the match. However, due to unavailability of flights from Dharamsala or nearby areas to Mumbai, they won’t be part of the final.
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