02 February,2025 07:30 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Tanush Kotian (centre) is congratulated after dismissing Balchander Anirudh on Saturday. Pics/Anurag Ahire
Mumbai all-rounders Tanush Kotian (4-15) and Shardul Thakur (4-48) ensured a victory by an innings and 456 runs over Meghalaya before lunch on Day Three of their Elite Group âA' Ranji Trophy match at the MCA-BKC ground on Saturday.
In the last league game for the defending champions, they managed to grab seven points, giving the Ajinkya Rahane-led team a total of 29 points from seven games with a place in the quarter-final close to being guaranteed. However, they have to wait for official confirmation as it will depend on the outcome of the ongoing game between Jammu & Kashmir and Baroda, who have 29 and 27 points respectively after six matches.
Meghalaya ended its Ranji campaign at the bottom of the group without having a single point to their credit. They face relegation to the Plate Group next season.
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Thakur, who won the Player of the Match award for his eight-wicket match haul and 84-run knock, struck early on Saturday morning, taking a wicket in the day's first over when he dismissed Arpit Bhatewara (6) through wicketkeeper Akash Anand.
Thakur was unlucky not to get his day's second and innings' fourth wicket in his second over when mid-on fielder Sylvester D'Souza dropped a regulation catch off Balchander Anirudh (24, 3x4) when on three. He then dispatched the visitors' top-scorer Kishan Lyngdoh (39, 8x4), taking a stunning catch in his follow through.
Thereafter, off-spinner Kotian came to the fore, claiming four wickets in just 5.1 overs to bundle out Meghalaya for 129 runs.
Mumbai had lost to Baroda by 84 runs in the opening round last October and then suffered a five-wicket defeat to J&K recently.
When Sunday mid-day asked Kotian about Mumbai's chances in the knockouts, he said: "We have worked hard throughout the season. After winning the title last season, we had set a target of winning the Ranji Trophy this year too. A couple of matches went here and there and those were lessons for us. If we make it to the knockouts, we won't repeat those mistakes and will lift the cup."
Kotian recently was in the Indian Test team during the Sydney Test Down Under. "Confidence-wise I am feeling better as I was in the [India] dressing room. And now I need to perform better in every match and help the team win," he added.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya coach Prabhakar Bairgond wants his players to be more disciplined. "There are a lot of positives from this game. But we are lacking in overall commitment. Everybody needs to be more disciplined in their work ethic to upgrade their skills. There is a lot of talent [in Meghalaya], we need to bring them into the system and work with them," Bairgond said.
Brief scores
Meghalaya 86 all out & 129 all out (K Lyngdoh 39, B Anirudh 24; T Kotian 4-15, S Thakur 4-48) lost to Mumbai 671-7d by an innings and 456 runs
