Naman Suri in Mumbai, Maharashtra
A sensational match-saving century by Shardul Thakur, in partnership with Tanush Kotian, rescued Mumbai from a dire position of 101/7 here at the Sharad Pawar Academy in BKC, Mumbai. The duo’s heroic efforts propelled Mumbai to a lead of 188 runs against Jammu & Kashmir, heading into the final two days of the game.
It was another challenging start to the day for Mumbai’s star batters. After bowling out Jammu & Kashmir for 206 early in the morning, Mumbai began their second innings with a deficit of 86. The pitch offered bounce and lateral movement, testing the Indian opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Despite the tough conditions, the duo started aggressively, notching up 50 runs in the first 10 overs, though the J&K bowlers consistently beat the bat. As the bowlers tightened their lines, Rohit adopted a cautious approach but mistimed a shot to midwicket while trying to accelerate, sparking a collapse.
Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, and Shivam Dube all fell before lunch, leaving Mumbai effectively at 0 for 5 in practical terms as they struggled to overcome J&K’s first-innings lead.
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Shardul Thakur scores a match saving century for Mumbai@Namansuri03 #RanjiTrophy pic.twitter.com/ams2QvJGhV
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However, Shardul Thakur and Tanush Kotian had other plans. Building on their partnership from Day 1, they forged an even stronger and more aggressive stand. Shardul delivered one of his grittiest knocks in Mumbai colors, enduring visible pain to notch up a magnificent century off just 105 balls, studded with 15 boundaries. It marked only his second First-Class ton.
Shardul’s twin match-saving innings, alongside Tanush, will give IPL franchises and selectors plenty to think about. The all-rounder last played red-ball cricket for India in December 2023 against South Africa and went unsold in the 2025 IPL auction, with teams shifting focus away from all-rounders due to the advent of the impact player rule.
Tanush Kotian, Shardul’s partner in both innings, also rose to the occasion, doubling his first-innings score to record a vital half-century. Together, the duo sparked a remarkable fightback for Mumbai, who now hold a lead exceeding 150 runs. Day 3 promises to be an exciting encounter.
Mumbai vs J&K, Day 2: Mumbai ended the day at 274/7 (Shardul 113*, Tanush 58*), leading Jammu & Kashmir (Nabi 3-69, Y Singh 2-63) by 188 runs.
Also Read: Rohit’s fiery start fizzles out as Mumbai stumble after J&K triple strike
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