5 stars behind Mumbai's Ranji Trophy 2024 win
Mumbai beat Vidarbha by 169 runs in the Ranji Trophy 2024 final at the Wankhede in Mumbai on Thursday, March 14, to be crowned India's domestic champions for the 42nd time. It was not an easy run for Mumbai, but the players stuck together and eventually came out on top.
Vidarbha won the toss and opted to bowl first in the Ranji Trophy 2024 final. They did a great job, reducing Mumbai to 111-6. However, Shardul Thakur scored a counter-attacking 75 off 69 to help his team to 224. In response, Vidarbha were bundled out for 105 in 45.3 overs, with three Mumbai bowlers claiming three wickets each.
In their second innings, Mumbai put up 418 to set Vidarbha a huge target of 538. The chasing side showed a lot of determination, taking the game into Day 5. Eventually, though, their first innings batting collapse came back to haunt them.
With Mumbai clinching yet another Ranji Trophy title, we pick five stars behind the team's memorable triumph.
#1 Tanush Kotian
The all-rounder had an excellent campaign with both bat and ball. He was the second-leading run-getter for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy 2024, smashing 502 runs at an average of 41.83 with one hundred and five fifties.
Kotian's 120* came in that famous last-wicket stand with Tushar Deshpande in the quarterfinal in Baroda. He also contributed 89* in the semifinal against Tamil Nadu. With his off-spin, Kotian picked up 29 wickets at an average of under 17.
Although he failed with the bat in the final, Kotian starred with the ball, claiming three wickets in the first innings and four in the second.
#2 Shardul Thakur
"Lord" Shardul Thakur brought all his experience to the fore to play a huge role in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy 2024 triumph.
The all-rounder bailed the team out of big trouble multiple times with the bat and also picked up key wickets with his medium pace. Thakur scored 255 runs in eight innings and claimed 16 wickets at an average of 20.12.
The 32-year-old starred with 10 wickets in the group game against Assam. With Mumbai on the back foot, he hit a superb ton in the semifinal against Tamil Nadu to turn the game on its head and also chipped in with four wickets.
In the final against Vidarbha, Mumbai again lost their way with the bat. Yet again, Thakur lifted them with a blazing 75 off 69 to lay the foundation for Mumbai's triumph.
#3 Musheer Khan
The young Musheer Khan played only in the knockouts for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, joining the squad following the conclusion of the U-19 World Cup in South Africa. However, the 19-year-old made a massive impact, scoring 433 runs in five innings at an average of 108.25, with two hundreds and one fifty.
Musheer smashed a brilliant double hundred (203*) in the quarterfinal against Baroda. He then scored a defiant half-century (55) in the semifinal against Tamil Nadu, even as Mumbai suffered a shocking batting collapse.
In the final, he hit a hundred (136) in the second innings and also picked up two crucial Vidarbha wickets with his left-arm spin.
#4 Shams Mulani
All-rounder Shams Mulani has yet again proved why he's such a key member of the Mumbai outfit. He chipped in with crucial contributions with both bat and ball at key junctures many times.
The left-arm spinner was the joint-leading wicket-taker for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy 2024, claiming 35 scalps in nine games at an average of 24.62, with two five-fers and three four-fers.
He also contributed 353 runs, which included four half-centuries. One of his fifties came in the quarterfinal, while another came in the final.
#5 Mohit Avasthi
Right-arm pacer Mohit Avasthi missed the Ranji Trophy 2024 final against Vidarbha due to injury, allowing Dhawal Kulkarni a fond farewell. However, he still ended as the team's joint-leading wicket-taker in the competition.
Avasthi played eight games and claimed 35 wickets at an average of 15.74, with three five-fers. The 31-year-old picked up 6-27 versus Bihar, 7-57 against Kerala and 7-52 against Bengal.