Ranji Trophy: Railways’ dogged batting frustrate Mumbai after Shams Mulani’s 71

The hosts were 116/2 in reply to Mumbai’s 396 all out at stumps on Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group D tie at the Brabourne Stadium.

Tushar Deshpande tried all the tricks in the book. He would lay a short-ball trap with a spread-out field only to bowl fuller lengths. After the batters refused to cave in, he would bend his back and go all-out short.

The hosts were 116/2 in reply to Mumbai’s 396 all out at stumps on Day 2 (PTI)

But Sahab Singh and Vivek Singh withstood the barrage all the way. It was emblematic of the resistance Railways have shown so far in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match, with the ball to begin with on Day 1, when they pushed Mumbai back with six wickets to offset a century-plus opening stand, and with the bat on Day 2.

At their adopted home Brabourne Stadium, Railways finished Day 2 on 116/2 in reply to Mumbai’s first innings total of 396. Left-handed Vivek (38*) ultimately had to return to the pavilion, retired hurt after being struck on the back by a Mohit Avasthi bouncer.

Deep Dive

How did Railways frustrate Mumbai on Day 2 of their Ranji Trophy match?

What was Shams Mulani’s contribution to Mumbai’s first innings against Railways?

How did lower-order partnerships help teams recover in other Ranji Trophy matches?

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That gave an opening for Mumbai spinners Tanush Kotian and Shams Mulani to wrest the initiative, but with a wicket each and the pitch still playing fair, they have more hard work in store. All the help there is for the spinners is from the rough created by the fast bowlers, especially a threat for the left-handers.

Mumbai began the day strongly with their reliable lower-order led by Shams Mulani putting up dogged resistance. Mulani is a master of playing the situation and batting with the tail. By batting out overs, he first took the sting off the Railways bowlers, who may have been buoyed by the inroads they made the previous evening.

After Akash Anand (52) was dismissed, ending a 92-run seventh wicket partnership with Mulani, the latter began to find more boundaries. “I was trying to bat patiently. I had been unlucky to get out down the leg side the last few times. So, I wanted to build a nice partnership before they spread the field,” said Mulani.

Anand fell to Himanshu Sangwan, marking a career milestone for the Railways pacer of 100 first-class wickets. Other than Sangwan (4 wickets), Railways left-arm spinner Raj Choudhary was successful with three wickets, including that of Mulani to close the Mumbai innings.