Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Mulani, Himanshu shine as Mumbai stays on cusp of win vs Odisha

In a bid so as to add batting depth, Mumbai entered the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A tie with solely 4 specialist bowlers. And the bowling group delivered, placing Mumbai on the cusp of incomes a bonus level towards Odisha on the finish of the penultimate day’s proceedings.

Chasing a mammoth complete of 602 for 4 declared, Odisha’s final 5 wickets added 139 wickets to its in a single day tally earlier than folding up for 285 early on within the afternoon session. Captain Ajinkya Rahane then enforced the follow-on, with Mumbai requiring a bonus level – awarded for a win by an innings or 10 wickets.

The spin duo of Shams Mulani and Himanshu Singh delivered but once more, thereby decreasing Odisha to 126 for 5 at Stumps.

AS IT HAPPENED: Ranji Trophy, Spherical 4, Day 3: Mumbai vs Odisha highlights

Had Aasirwad Swain – promoted to No. 3 – not edged Himanshu to Rahane within the slips off the final ball of the day, Odisha could have hoped to bat the final day trip. However the decrease order must drop its guard all the way down to make Mumbai bowlers sweat.

The quartet – particularly the spin duo – needed to toil on Friday. Of the 87.3 overs that had been bowled through the third day’s play, Mulani and Himanshu shared 57.3 overs, choosing 9 of the ten wickets that fell through the day.

Mulani, the left-arm spinner, was the star of the day, returning with a six-wicket haul within the first innings.

Regardless of being tonked for 3 sixes in two overs within the morning session, together with the one which sailed over long-on to assist Sandeep Pattnaik have a good time his fifth First Class hundred, Mulani made a powerful comeback.

The second Pattanaik performed him onto the stumps, Mulani raced to his fifteenth five-wicket haul.

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Had substitute wicketkeeper Sidhant Addhatrao – donning the gloves since Hardik Tamore was unwell – not tried an formidable dive and dropped a thick edge to deprive Thakur of a wicket early on, Mumbai would have hoped to wrap the sport up with a day to spare.