Ranji Trophy Final, Day 3 Highlights: Madhya Pradesh vs Mumbai. (Twitter/ BCCI Domestic)Ranji Trophy Final, Day 3 Highlights: Unheralded Yash Dubey and Shubham Sharma made the biggest stage of Indian domestic cricket their own with well-crafted centuries, that pulled the rug from under heavyweights Mumbai’s feet as Madhya Pradesh took a giant leap towards their maiden Ranji Trophy title, on Friday.
MP vs MUM Ranji Trophy 2022 Final:
The pitch in the second session slowed down considerably. (BCCI/domestic)
Ranji Trophy final: Disciplined MP keep Mumbai in check
With father Naushad Khan, who also doubles up as his coach, making him play 400 balls (nearly 67 overs including nets and knocking) a day at practice, Sarfaraz 2.0 is a battle-hardened man, the ‘khadoos street fighter' that any captain would want to go to a war with. Once he reached his fifty, he touched the lion's crest on his jersey, gesturing 'Don't worry, I am going nowhere'.
Madhya Pradesh are 368/3 after 122.6 overs. Rajat Patidar is batting on 67 off 106 and Aditya Shrivastava is on 11 off 33 balls. Yash Dubey scored a brilliant century today for MP. MP: 368/3
Yash Dubey departs after scoring 133 runs. What an innings it has been! S Z Mulani takes his wicket. Madhya Pradesh are three down now. MP: 361/3
Both Rajat Patidar and Yash Dubey are batting well in the middle and trying to put Mumbai out of the game. Yash Dubey is batting on 122 runs while Rajat Patidar gets his half-century. He takes 44-ball to complete his fifty in a Ranji final.
Rajat Patidar is in some form after a standout IPL. He is basically walloping anything he pleases - a couple of clips, a straight drive, a backfoot punch, and a cut already. MP: 285/2
The second-wicket stand between Shubham Sharma and Yash Dubey lasted for 73.1 overs and 349 minutes. For close to six hours they took Mumbai apart, ball by ball, over after over. And now, Dhawal Kulkarni has hobbled off the field after tumbling to make an awkward stop at mid-on. MP: 285/2
Successive appeals for caught behind from Avasthi and the second one is upheld as he gets the ball to hold its line on Shubham Sharma, who walks back for 116 off 215, his fourth hundred of this Ranji season. The second-wicket stand ends at a mammoth 222. Shouts of 'RCB, RCB' from the fans as Rajat Patidar walks in at No 4. MP: 274/2
The second new ball has made no impact, just like the first didn't yesterday. Yash Dubey and Shubham Sharma continue to make Mumbai toil under the sun. It has been an exhibition in the riskless application. Not once were Mumbai allowed to look like the side that actually had the momentum when Sarfaraz Khan's ton stretched their innings to 374. Shouts of 'RCB, RCB' from the fans as Rajat Patidar walks in at No 4. MP: 274/2
Shubham Sharma's drive rips through extra cover and gives him a hundred in a Ranji final. He started pushing the scoring rate as soon as he came in last evening and hasn't looked back since. Total dominance from MP. Mumbai have been flattened. MP: 250/1
Last throw of the dice for Mumbai as they immediately take the second new ball. Just 130 runs to play with now as Yash and Shubham's concentration still remains sharp.
Abhishek Purohit from Bengaluru: Yash Dubey sweeps Kotian to the fine-leg rope for four to bring up his third first-class century and the knock of his career so far. The 23-year old opener has faced 234 deliveries and has shown incredible patience and application. Right from the moment he leaned nicely forward to defend the first ball of the MP innings from Dhawal Kulkarni, he has barely put a foot wrong. MP have added 105 runs in the session without losing a wicket and are in a great position to bat Mumbai out of the final. MP: 228/1
Abhishek Purohit from Bengaluru: After another close lbw appeal from Kotian, against Yash this time, he is driven through cover and whipped over midwicket for runs. That has been the feature of this match. Whenever Mumbai looked like forming a partnership, MP would strike, and now with the ball, whenever Mumbai begin to exert even a bit of pressure, MP hit back immediately with a boundary or two. MP: 218/1
Abhishek Purohit from Bengaluru: Good, probing over from Kotian to Shubham with a couple of lab appeals from round the stumps but a charged straight four easing the slight pressure that had built and MP remain on top. MP 198/1
Abhishek Purohit from Bengaluru: This big partnership between Shubham and Yash is slowly grinding Mumbai out of this game. They have been reduced to appealing in hope the odd time the ball passes the bat. MP: 185/1
Abhishek Purohit from Bengaluru: Mulani has bowled a better length today, and is operating with a 7-2 off side field, with the protection of a sweeper. MP: 171/1
Abhishek Purohit from Bengaluru: Mumbai trying a few things now. There is a short cover-point, and a man for the mishit hook between the square-leg umpire and the deep square rope. MP: 151/1
Abhishek Purohit from Bengaluru: Rare, tough chance goes down as Jaffer fails to hold on to a Shubham Sharma drive at short cover off Deshpande. Mumbai turn to Mulani's left-arm spin now. He was expensive last evening. MP: 150/1
Abhishek Purohit from Bengaluru: Two lovely square drives in Tushar Deshpande's first over from Shubham Sharma, who batted positively on day two as well. Deshpande tried bowling fuller, which is not his strength, and already we have a deep backward point in place. MP in total control, and there's no movement for the Mumbai seamers with the sun beating down. MP:135/1
Abhishek Purohit from Bengaluru: Bright sunshine over Chinnaswamy at the moment, the first time in this Ranji final after two days of heavily overcast skies. Superb batting conditions for Madhya Pradesh to hack away at the 251-run deficit, with their entire line-up available barring the one wicket on day two
Hello and welcome to the live coverage of Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy final between Madhya Pradesh and Mumbai. We will bring you all the live updates from the ground, courtesy our man Abhishek Purohit. Stay tuned.