Lucknow: Mumbai, added another chapter to its storied legacy by winning the Irani Cup for the 15th time against Rest of India (RoI) on Saturday at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. Ajinkya Rahane’s team secured the title by virtue of a first-innings lead over RoI, completing a rare Ranji Trophy-Irani Cup double in the same season.
Mumbai’s triumph was sealed on the final day of the five-day clash, where Tanush Kotian’s sensational second first-class century in the second innings proved crucial. Despite leading by 121 runs after posting a mammoth 537 in the first innings, Mumbai found themselves in a precarious position at 171 for 8 on Friday, with off-spinner Saransh Jain tearing through the lineup.
Prithvi Shaw had offered early resistance with a solid 76, but Mumbai’s star-studded batting order, including Ajinkya Rahane (9), Shreyas Iyer (8), Sarfaraz Khan (17), and Hardik Tamore (7), failed to convert starts, putting Rest of India back in contention. However, Kotian, coming in as a lower-order batsman, showcased his grit and composure, partnering with Mohit Avasthi for a remarkable 158-run ninth-wicket stand that steadied Mumbai’s ship.
Kotian’s unbeaten 114, along with Avasthi’s half-century, allowed Mumbai to extend their lead to a formidable 450 runs. After Avasthi reached his fifty towards the end of the second session, the two teams shook hands, confirming the draw, which handed Mumbai the Irani Cup title based on their first-innings advantage.
Tanush Kotian’s heroics in this game mirrored his role as Mumbai’s crisis man throughout the season. The off-spinner, who has built a reputation for being a reliable lower-order contributor, also made 64 crucial runs in the first innings, bolstering Mumbai’s score after Sarfaraz Khan’s scintillating double century (222 off 286 balls). Kotian, who added 1273 runs at an average of 41 across 29 first-class matches, once again proved his mettle with the bat under pressure, and also picked up three wickets in the match, bringing his first-class tally to 85 wickets.
Earlier in the match, Mumbai dominated the first innings, riding on Sarfaraz’s blistering 222 not out and strong performances from Rahane (97) and Shreyas Iyer (57). Rest of India fought back valiantly with captain Abhimanyu Easwaran leading the charge with a sublime 191, well-supported by wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, who contributed a brisk 93. The pair added 165 runs for the fifth wicket, giving RoI hope of challenging Mumbai’s total.
However, Mumbai’s bowling attack, led by Shams Mulani and Kotian, dismantled the lower-order, triggering a collapse that saw Rest of India lose their last six wickets for just 23 runs. Mulani’s timely strikes, dismissing Easwaran and Jurel in quick succession, turned the tide in Mumbai’s favor, with Kotian cleaning up the tail.
This victory marks Mumbai’s 15th Irani Cup title, ending a 27-year wait for the trophy, their last triumph coming in 1997.
–IANS
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