Ranji Trophy Quarterfinals: Big Boys Mumbai, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Saurashtra Eye Semis Berth

22.02.2024 - 18:39 sports.ndtv.com

After a month and half of topsy-turvy ride, eight teams have managed to steer themselves clear of other 24 contenders to enter the quarterfinals.

Now, they are standing at a point of no return, as even the slightest slip can throw them out at the quarterfinals stage, beginning across India from Friday.

There are familiar faces -- 41-time champions Mumbai, strong contenders Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, giant-killers Vidarbha and Baroda, the stonewalling Saurashtra besides Madhya Pradesh and Andhra, who are capable of springing a surprise or two.

So, here's a closer look at the four last eight clashes. Mumbai vs Baroda A depleted Mumbai will hope to make the most of their current form when they face Baroda here from Friday.

cricket record STARS stage inclusion strain FIVE Shreyas Iyer Ajinkya Rahane Shivam Dube India

Indian cricket team spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's social media post on Ajinkya Rahane's batting during the ongoing Ranji Trophy final between Mumbai and Vidarbha has gone viral. Rahane survived an extremely close LBW appeal as a delivery from Umesh Yadav seamed back and crashed into his pads. Although Vidarbha were extremely confident, the umpire ruled in favour of the batter and replays showed that it would have been umpire's call. The commentators remarked that Rahane misread the line of the delivery resulting in some discomfort and Ashwin also highlighted a similar concern on Instagram.

Ranji Trophy Final: Ajinkya Rahane, Musheer Khan Put Mumbai In Command Against Vidarbha

Skipper Ajinkya Rahane bucked the trend of poor scores with a timely unbeaten 58 as Mumbai took a 260-run lead against Vidarbha at close on day two of the Ranji Trophy final on Monday. While young Musheer Khan reined in his aggression to make a gritty 51 not out, Rahane negotiated the Vidarbha bowling attack with utmost patience and precision to put Mumbai, who are aiming for a record 42nd Ranji title, in pole position. At stumps, the hosts were 141 for 2 in their second innings. Having being shot out for a meagre 224 in the first innings on the first day, Mumbai came roaring back in the first session to take a 119-run lead as Vidarbha, resuming at 31/3, were dismissed for 105 in the first innings.

Watch: Prithvi Shaw Clueless As Incoming Delivery Rattles Stumps In Ranji Trophy, Internet Blasts Star

When Prithvi Shaw made a comeback to Ranji Trophy after a prolonged absence due to injury, there was lot of hope for the Indian cricket team star. Off-form has seen Prithvi Shaw lose his place in the Indian cricket team while his performance in the Indian Premier League has not been great either. However, in just his second match after comeback, Prithvi Shaw scored 159 against Chhattisgarh. In the Ranji Trophy semi-final, Prithvi Shaw scored 87 against Baroda.

Mumbai vs Vidarbha Final, Ranji Trophy Day 2, Live Score: Mumbai On Top As Vidarbha Lose 4th Wicket

Mumbai vs Vidarbha Final, Ranji Trophy 2024, Live Updates:Dhawal Kulkarni has provided Mumbai with an important breakthrough as he dismissed Atharva Taide for 23. Aditya Thakare has now been joined by Yash Rathod as four-down Vidarbha aim for a stable partnership.

Shreyas Iyer's Poor Ranji Trophy Form Continues, Loses Wicket Cheaply To Ex-KKR Teammate

Shreyas Iyer's dismal form in domestic cricket continued as he was dismissed after scoring just seven runs for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha on Sunday. Iyer has struggled against the short ball in the past and that was exactly the strategy that his former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) teammate Umesh Yadav employed to end his innings. Umesh bowled four short deliveries in a row to the right-hander before an outswinger that struck Iyer's inside edge. The ball flew to Karun Nair in the first slip and the fielder made no mistake in completing the catch and piled on Iyer's misery. The India batter has not performed well in the two Ranji matches since BCCI's central contract snub.

Ranji Trophy Final: Ajinkya Rahane's Mumbai Eye 42nd Title But Vidarbha To Pose Tough Challenge

Led by an astute captain in Ajinkya Rahane, Mumbai will look to maintain their hegemony on Ranji Trophy with a 42nd title but a gutsy and battle-hardened Vidarbha won't make it easy for the legacy champions in the much-anticipated final starting in Mumbai tomorrow. In Mumbai, coming second best is never a consolation and nothing short of a title would satisfy the connoisseurs of Mumbai cricket sitting in the Garware pavilion of the Wankhede Stadium. Someone, who engineered India's greatest overseas series win in Australia three winters back, Rahane's international career has seen a sharp slump and right now he is not even in national reckoning.