Ranji Trophy Final: Mumbai v. Saurashtra
By Gaurang
January 26 2013
On paper the 79th Ranji Trophy clash looks a mismatch with 39 times Champions taking on Saurashtra who are making their first appearance in a Ranji Final since being renamed from Nawanagar over 70 years ago. But a lot will denpend on whether key Saurashtra players Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja are released from the Indian team to play this key match.
Mumbai ably led by veteran pace man Ajit Agarkar are peaking at the right time, barely squeaking into the knockout stage with just one outright win, a very close one at that, against Madhya Pradesh (M.P). The win which was engineered in part by the decision to declare by the Mumbai captain, giving M.P. a whiff of chance to go for an all out win. By declaring without making the match dead Agarkar set up the Mumbai victory which Zaheer Khan ensured with his brilliant bowling on the last day. In the knock out stages Mumbai have been dominant and despite weather concerns in their semi final have stamped their authority over their opponents.
Saurashtra entered the knock out stage with two wins and a strong performance record that was bolstered by the presence of two young and rising stars of Indian cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja. In the knock out stages they have been dominant too and reached the finals coming off a very good win over league table toppers Punjab. Saurashtra have a pretty balanced team, though they do rely on spin a bit more than pace.
The final has been pencilled in for the Wankhede stadium, which will also host the Irani trophy, should Mumbai win their 40th title. This was a great move by BCCI and MCA ensuring that the domestic first class game got the venue and attention it deserves. If the ICC Women's world cup matches scheduled for Mumbai have had be shifted to Brabourne Stadium or the Bandra-Kurla Complex ground, that is understandable.
As for the match itself, one hopes that players not playing in the final ODI are released by the BCCI to play in the Ranji Final. Ideally, since the ODI series against England has already been won, all Mumbai and Saurashtra players are released. The Ranji Final would be much enhanced by the presence of Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane for Mumbai and Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravi Jadeja for Saurashtra.
The match is slated to be televised on Willow TV and ESPN and that is great news. The presences of Sachin Tendulkar who is gearing up for the upcoming Australia Test series is an added bonus. The only slightly disappointing news is that Zaheer Khan is still not fit enough to play, and Mumbai will definitely miss him, though with Agarkar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Abhishek Nayar, Javed Khan, etc. Mumbai's pace bowling is not a worry. As for spin, Mumbai with Iqbal Abdulla, Vishal Dhabolkar and Ankit Chauhan, are well placed though Saurashtra with Vishal Joshi, Ravi Jadeja (if he plays), Dharmendra Jadeja, Kamal Makvana are slightly better in that department.
The batting is also evenly matched with Jaffer, Tendulkar, Nayar, Rahane and Rohit (if one or both play) plus the plucky wicket keeper Tare not to mention Agarkar himself who is in great form with the bat this season, bat very deep. Saurashtra has three batsmen scoring around 700 runs this season in the line up, with two hitting triple hundreds in Pujara and Jadeja, and one who has scored three key hundreds including one that set up the win in the semifinals against Punjab, in Sheldon Jackson. All three are supported by veteran Shitanshu Kotak and and Saurashtra Captain Jaydev Shah. Kotak, who holds the record for most Ranji Trophy runs without a Championship will be eager to no longer hold it.
As long as the Wankhede pitch is a sporting one, this should be a very good match and the team that plays the better cricket over five or possibly six days, an extra day being slotted in to ensure a result is a great idea, will be deserved Ranji Trophy Champions.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:02:06:22:12:24 by Birbal.
People who say Indian pitches are low and slow have not seen this Mumbai wicket... it had good bounce and carry and decent pace... and it also seamed a bit.
In Mumbai the sea breeze means that it also swings normally and even the spinners found some help with bounce if not turn on the first day.
Very odd decision by Saurashatra to drop Vishal Joshi the Man of the Match of the semifinals for this match.
Guess they went with horses for courses... but Mumbai upset their apple cart by chosing to bowl first instead of batting first after Agarkar won the toss.
Agarkar showed his intent by bouncing Shitanshu Kotak the very first ball of the match...basically saying.. Welcome to the BIG LEAGUE...and don't expect any favors.. typical Mumbaikar approach...
Sachin was unfortunately run out... and with the lead unlikely he will get to bat again in the match...
In fact the Pecking order meant Pujara should have been given a chnace to play when the decided to drop Rahane
What DOMINATION...
Mumbai in Ranji is like Australia in Tests...they may have brief lulls but they produce cricketers who know what it is to win...
It was DEAD RUBBER for crying out loud!
24 needed with a bunny coming in at 11? No problem!
Would love to see a run a ball 100 from Shreyas Iyer....
24 needed with a bunny coming in at 11? No problem!
The partnership between Suryakumar Yadav & Shreyas Iyer was key IMO since Mumbai could have been out of it early, but Siddesh Lad glued the bottom half...
One issue with Iyer I see is that he flashes a bit too much early on in his innings....
But, he is 21, so that's excusable....
Other than that, But I've never seen a guy pick up length like he does since Sehwag....
He was basically toying with the bowling for his first 50 or so...
Absolute monster in domestic cricket this guy is going to be....
24 needed with a bunny coming in at 11? No problem!
The extra runs scored by the batsmen let off.... Iyer and Lad respectively nailed the coffin for the Rajkot team...
Mumbai in domestic cricket is like Aussies internationally... They just know how to win...