It is unlikely that Mumbai will have an injured Yashasvi Jaiswal in their ranks, but the resilient defending champion are strong favorites against Vidarbha in the semi -final of Ranji Trophy, starting here on Monday. PTI understands that Jaiswal could travel to the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru for a further assessment of his non-specified injury soon, because he was mentioned as a “non-Dwars reserve” in the Indian Champions Trophy team. But the possible absence of Jaiswal in no way reduces Mumbai's firepower in a competition that is the repetition of last year's final.
Mumbai has a large number of stars in their line-up such as skipper Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube and Shardul Thakur who can change the course of the game itself.
But more than the presence of some much-praised and accomplished players, their determination makes the 42-meal champions cut a team from different fabrics.
On various occasions this season, the best order of Mumbai did not progress well, but their batters of lower order such as Thakur and Tanush Kotian have saved them with grim efforts.
Even in the quarterfinals against Haryana they were 113 for seven for seven before Shams Mulani and Kotian 183 Runs milk for the eighth wicket to save Mumbai.
Mumbai would hope that the large weapons will return to making ways at the Nagpur-Bone height that often sat with batters.
Although the stories about such a late-order resistance are heart warming, Mumbai wants a more polished effort from their top order against Vidarbha, which are in red-hot form this season.
They have no big names in their bowling line-up, but hard Dubey, Yash Thakur, Aditya Thakare and Nachiket Bhut have consistently beaten Vidarbha.
In fact, the left arm spinner Dubey is the highest Wicket-Taker this Ranji season with 59 victims in his bag.
That is why Vidarbha would like to exploit that somewhat wobbly nature of Mumbai top-order and put them under pressure.
None of the Mumbai stroke people will be below the top 20 of the highest run makers this season.
Siddesh Lad (565 Runs) is their best Run aggregator and he is 22nd on the list of the Run maker.
The front line of Vidarbha, on the other hand, has been in much better form this season, because Yash Rathod (728 Runs) is in the fourth highest Run-Getter in the map.
Karun Nair (591) and skipper Akshay Wadkar (588) have also been demolished with important runs.
However, they want a number of better trips from openers Atharva Taide and Dhruv Shorey.
Teams:
Mumbai: Ajinkya Rahane (C), Ayush Mhatre, Angerkrish Raghuvanshi, Amogh Bhatkal, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal (Injured), Siddhesh Lad, Shivam Duube, Akash Anand, Suryanshul (WK),, WK),, WK),, WK),, WK),, WK),, WK),, WK),, WK),, WK),, WK),, WK),,, Tamore), Tamore (WK), Tamore (WK), Tamore (Wk), Tamore (WKAS), Tamore (WKAS). , Tanush Kotian, Mohit Avasthi, Sylvester d'Souza, Royston Dias, Atharva Ankolekar, Harsh Tanna.
Vidarbha: Akshay Wadkar (C & WK), Atharva Taide, Aman Mokhade, Yash Rathod, Harsh Dubey, Akshay Karnewar, Yash Kadam, Akshay Wakhare, Darshan Nalkande, Nachiket Bhut Parth Rekhade, Dhruv Shorey.
Match starts at 9.30 am.
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