By – Shubhendra Singh Rajawat
Irani Cup: Mumbai won the trophy after 27 years under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane, with Kotian hitting a century amid trying times.
The last time Mumbai competed in the Irani Cup final was in 2015-16. The Mumbai squad has won the title for the 15th time.
Mumbai won the Irani Cup by defeating Rest of India in Lucknow on Saturday. Ajinkya Rahane’s squad overcame the Rest of India on the strength of a first-innings lead, claiming the Irani Cup trophy after 27 years. Mumbai last won the title in 1997-98. Following this, the squad had eight chances to reach the finals, but it never won the championship. Tanush Kotian’s unbroken century propelled Mumbai to a fifth-day draw.
How did Mumbai win?
The last time Mumbai contested the Irani Cup final was in 2015-16. The Mumbai squad has won the title for the 15th time. Mumbai began playing on the last day at 153 runs for six wickets and declared their second innings at 329 runs for eight wickets. As a result, Mumbai now has a 450-run lead. Kotian, who scored 64 runs in the first innings, began playing at 20 runs and finished unbeaten with 114 runs in 150 balls. His innings had ten fours and a six. Chasing a target of 451 runs in less than a session was impossible, due to which Rest of India captain Gaikwad joined hands with his opponent Ajinkya Rahane for a draw. In this way, defended Ranji.
Kotian and Mohit formed a significant collaboration.
Kotian played admirably after Sarfaraz Khan (07) and Shardul Thakur (02) were sent off early. During this time, he had the assistance of Mohit Awasthi, the number ten player. At the moment, Mumbai’s score was 171 for 7. Awasthi remained unbeaten after scoring 51 runs off 93 balls, including four fours and one six. In this way, Kotian and Awasthi formed a crucial 158-run stand for the ninth wicket. Off-spinner Saransh Jain claimed six wickets for 121 runs, but his efforts only delayed the outcome.
Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane acknowledged his delight after the triumph, saying, “It’s an incredible feeling to win the trophy after 27 years.” It was a red earth wicket. Tanush Kotian played admirably in the previous season and this match. Sarfaraz Khan was named Player of the Match after striking a double century in the first innings of this match. He stated, “I follow the process well and came to this tournament with practice.” You gain experience by playing on different grounds. You learn about how to play on various pitches. I learnt a lot from being on the Test team, and I can improve all aspects of my game.