MUMBAI: A battling hundred by Kedar Jadhav followed by a brisk unbeaten 87-run partnership by Saurabh Nawale and Ashay Palkar for the seventh wicket helped Maharashtra take the upper hand on Day 1 of the Group B Ranji Trophy tie on Tuesday.
The visitors' dressing room was a happy place with the score reading 314 for six at close of play while the Mumbai camp may just be harbouring doubts about their decision to put the opposition in on a Brabourne Stadium pitch where you could literally sniff a big score before the game.
Initially, it did appear that the call was right when Tushar Deshpande had opener Pawan Shah caught at gully by Ajinkya Rahane off the first delivery of the match. Few overs later, Mohit Awasthi moved one off the seam to dislodge Naushad Shaikh's bails to leave Maharashtra tottering at 27-2.
But the joy was short-lived for Mumbai as Jadhav along with opener Siddesh Veer (48) brought stability to the innings with a 105-run partnership for the third wicket. Nawale (56*) and Palkar (32*) made the most of the tiring Mumbai attack and the confident manner in which they went about accumulating runs, the going could be tough for the bowlers on Day 2.
Batting does come easy to Jadhav. The 37-year-old former India white-ball specialist absorbed pressure like a sponge as he pulled and drove elegantly.
He struck 18 delectable boundaries and a six off Shams Mulani on his way to 128 off 168 deliveries. It was as if he had turned back the clock to 2014 where a similar kind of effort at the Wankhede had knocked Mumbai out in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals. Jadhav was lucky to escape on 37 when Suved Parkar failed to grasp a tough chance at first slip off Deshpande.
"I have seen everything, I have been there, done that. I am 37, I have handled more pressure games than this. This was just another day," said Jadhav of his innings. "Where both teams arestanding, both teams need at least the first innings lead to be able to qualify for the next round. That is the only pressure, otherwise (it's) bowlers bowling at you," he said. Jadhav had taken a break from the game for a year and a half. The reason he said was because of the Covid-related restrictions.
"Last year, there were just three Ranji Trophy games and also there was a bio-bubble. I didn't enjoy the bio-bubble because what happened was, I would get cranky with family and friends. They didn't deserve that," Jadhav said.
Earlier, Mumbai went into the crucial match without batting mainstay Sarfaraz Khan. The 24-year-old was ruled out after he failed to recover from viral fever. There was more trouble when Tanush Kotain left the field with a bloodied hand while attempting a return catch off Jadhav.
