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NEW DELHI: Former captain Ajinkya Rahane showcased his class with a resolute 159 as Mumbai reached 406 for eight in their first innings against Chhattisgarh in a rain-affected Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match at the BKC Ground on Sunday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Rahane, who retired hurt on the first day at 118 due to cramps, returned on the second day to continue his innings. He faced 303 balls, striking 21 fours, before being dismissed caught behind by Aditya Sarwate (4/103). Mumbai had resumed at 251 for five, and at stumps, Akash Anand was unbeaten on 60 off 148 balls, accompanied by Tushar Deshpande (4 not out). Only 46 overs were bowled on the second day due to rain interruptions.
In other action, Delhi imposed themselves against Himachal Pradesh, 165 for three, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, leading by 265 runs in their first innings after posting 430. Delhi’s innings was built on contributions from Arpit Rana (64), Sanat Sangwan (79), and Yash Dhull (61), while Ayush Doseja (75), Sumit Mathur (51), and Anuj Rawat (57) strengthened the total. Himachal’s Sidhant Purohit scored 70 off 165 balls, but wickets late in the day by Navdeep Saini and Sumit Mathur put them under pressure.Jammu & Kashmir dominated Rajasthan, who were 41/5 in the second innings after trailing by 132 runs. Auqib Nabi starred with 6-2-5-5, reducing Rajasthan to a precarious position at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar.Meanwhile, Hyderabad amassed 435 against Puducherry, powered by a century from Rahul Gahlaut (114) and half-centuries from Tanmay Agarwal (50), Kodimela Himateja (66), and Rahul Radesh (81). Puducherry reached 25/1 in reply, trailing by 410 runs.Rahane’s innings highlighted his enduring ability to anchor an innings and guide his team in challenging conditions. Despite the rain-affected day, Mumbai finished strongly, leaving themselves in a commanding position and emphasising the blend of experience and resilience that veterans like Rahane bring to domestic cricket.
