Ajinkya Rahane led Mumbai cricket team to a record-extending forty second Ranji Trophy title on Thursday. Mumbai clinched a powerful win towards Vidarbha in the ultimate at Wankhede Stadium to finish an eight-year watch for the silverware.
Chasing a mammoth 538-run goal, Vidarbha’s second innings collapsed on 368 on Day 5. In-form spin all-rounders Tanush Kotian and Musheer Khan have been spectacular in the ultimate with the previous taking 4 wickets in the second innings and the latter scoring century to clinch the Player of the Match award.
Rahane additionally contributed by scoring an important 73 runs off 143 balls in Mumbai’s second innings in the ultimate. However, this was the one second fifty for the veteran Indian batter in the Ranji Trophy 2024 as he endured a poor home season.
Having misplaced a spot in the Test cricket team final yr, Rahane managed to rating simply 214 runs in 13 innings at a median of 17.83 in Ranji Trophy 2024. He was Mumbai’s ninth-highest run-getter in the match this season but revealed that he feels the ‘happiest participant’ in his title-winning team.
“Even though I am the lowest scorer for my team, I am the happiest to lift the trophy,” Rahane stated on the post-match presentation. “As a player, you will have ups and downs. It’s about creating atmosphere in dressing room and enjoy each other’s success. This is a special moment. Last year, we failed to qualify for the knock-outs by one run. We had to create the right culture and attitude in the team. We created a fitness culture and I would thank MCA for providing all the support.”
Rahane additionally praised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for his or her latest efforts to prioritize home cricket.
“I want to mention about BCCI for giving importance to domestic cricket, which is a very good thing. Allowing players to go and play domestic cricket is very important,” Rahane added.
