Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Ankit leads Haryana’s fight back against Mumbai with hundred on day two
Ankit Kumar scored an effortless century to steer Haryana closer to Mumbai’s first innings total on a surface starting to bring spinners into the game on Sunday.
Captain Ankit’s 206-ball 136 took the host to 263 for five, 52 runs behind Mumbai’s 315 at the end of day two of the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals here. However, his late wicket, less than three overs to the stumps, gave an opening to the defending champion.
Shams Mulani got the prized wicket of Ankit, a ball after surviving an LBW appeal, who edged the ball to first slip while attempting a drive. The odd ball turning had kept him on his toes throughout the third session.
Ajinkya Rahane had previously kept a packed leg-side field, and asked Tanush Kotian to attack the stumps, forcing Ankit to play.
AS IT HAPPENED | RANJI TROPHY 2024-25 QUARTERFINALS DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS
Kotian’s off-spin got the better of Yashvardan Dalal and Nishant Sindhu as both missed out on good starts. In between, Mulani unleashed a perfect left-arm delivery, turning the ball away from the right-handed Himanshu Rana and dismantling the off stump.
Ankit, though, capitalised on his start and the 87-run foundation he laid with his opening partner Lakshya Dalal. The slow nature of the surface allowed the batters to meet the ball late and lean onto their drives whenever the opportunity arose.
Mumbai pacers kept the attack around the off stump, but lack of purchase off the wicket made them bowl effort balls more often than not. One such delivery of Shardul Thakur eventually held its line and trapped Lakshya in front.
The day began with Kotian on 85, looking to farm the strike with number 10 Mohit Avasthi at the other end. After cracking a couple of boundaries, he chopped one onto the stumps, attempting a drive, and fell three short of his hundred. Haryana put Mumbai on the field forty minutes into the day and kept it like that.
