It’s often said that fast bowlers thrive in pairs, a notion vividly illustrated during the morning session of Day 2 at the Ranji Trophy quarter-final held at the MCA-BKC ground on Saturday. Mumbai’s pace duo, Mohit Avasthi (4-27) and Tushar Deshpande (4-33), effectively curtailed Karnataka to a modest total of 173, giving them a first-innings lead of just 53 runs. The star of the show for Karnataka was opener Mayank Agarwal, who contributed a significant 92 runs. The previous day, Mumbai had struggled, finishing their first innings at a mere 120 runs.
Avasthi and Deshpande capitalized on the favorable morning conditions, where the pitch’s moisture made scoring a challenge. Deshpande’s remarkable spell of 6 overs saw him take four wickets for just 20 runs, including Agarwal, who edged a delivery to second slip, where Siddhesh Lad was waiting. Avasthi, coming off a five-wicket haul against Delhi last week, struck shortly before lunch, clean bowling Shikhar Shetty.
In their second innings, Mumbai showcased a more robust batting performance. Akash Anand (53 not out), elevated to the No. 3 position, and Musheer Khan (49 not out) formed an unbroken partnership of 112 runs for the third wicket, guiding the hosts to 189-2 and establishing a comfortable lead of 136 runs.
Deshpande, 30, reflected on the match, stating, “On Friday, when I bowled, they were already off to a flying start at 46-1 in 8 overs. My job was to stem their momentum. By Saturday morning, with three wickets down, I felt we had a real chance to penetrate their batting order. Bowling in partnerships is key. The game remains open from here.” He expressed satisfaction at restricting Karnataka’s lead to just 53, emphasizing the importance of belief and accuracy in bowling, especially with a pitch favorable to seamers.
The Mumbai openers, Akhil Herwadkar and Yashasvi Jaiswal, couldn’t build a substantial opening stand. After reaching 77, both fell within a span of six balls. Herwadkar (33) was run out by a direct throw from Vidwat Kaverappa at fine leg, while Jaiswal, stepping out against leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal, was stumped for 36.
Brief scores: Mumbai 120 & 189-2 (A Anand 53*, M Khan 49*, Y Jaiswal 36, A Herwadkar 33) vs Karnataka 173 (M Agarwal 92; M Avasthi 4-27, T Deshpande 4-33)