[Watch] R Sai Kishore foxes Ajinkya Rahane, Musheer Khan during stunning fifer vs Mumbai in Ranji Trophy semi-final

Tamil Nadu captain R Sai Kishore proved his critics wrong and brought his team roaring back into the Ranji Trophy semi-final contest against Mumbai at the Bandra Kurla Complex with a brilliant five-wicket haul.

The left-arm spinner took out four of the top-five Mumbai batters and all-rounder Shams Mulani for less than 30 runs. The spell showed his complete range of skills - using his height to get dip and bounce, smart management of the crease and the angles, and deceptive variations.

Sai Kishore's victims included former India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who edged one to slips at 19 (67), and the in-form Musheer Khan, who was batting at 55 (131) before being stumped.

Watch all the five wickets here:

His fifer brought Tamil Nadu roaring back into the contest and took some pressure off him as the captain too. The 27-year-old had opted to bat first on the green top on Saturday and Mumbai's pacers had shot down Tamil Nadu for just 146.

Questions were raised about the decision to bat first and not only Tamil Nadu supporters but the Mumbai players also had expressed their surprise on the call. When his fifth wicket reduced Mumbai to 106/7, social media praises came rushing back.

Semi-final fifer adds to R Sai Kishore's terrific Ranji Trophy season

The fifer was R Sai Kishore's 10th in just 39 matches and took his tally in the season to 52 wickets in 15 innings at an average of 17.57. He became only the third Tamil Nadu spinner after S. Venkataraghavan and Aashish Kapoor to pick up 50 wickets in a season.

While Venkataraghavan snapped 58 wickets in 1972-73, Kapoor claimed 50 scalps in 1999-2000.

With a second innings likely in the low-scoring semi-final, Sai Kishore has a good chance to break the record for most wickets for a spinner from the state in one season.

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