The weather cooperated throughout the day, with only a brief 15-minute rain interruption after tea. Baroda’s all-rounder duo of Mitesh Patel and Atit Sheth stood firm, preventing Mumbai from taking complete control on the first day of their Group A Ranji Trophy clash. This crucial 130-run partnership for the sixth wicket saw Baroda end the day at a respectable 241 for six.
While the match remains evenly poised, Baroda would likely be the happier team in the dressing room, considering the defending champions’ dominance in the opening session. When Sheth came out to bat at the start of the second session, captain Krunal Pandya had just been dismissed by off-spinner Tanush Kotian on the final ball of an overcast morning session. With Baroda at 90 for five, Mumbai was confident of capitalizing on their early advantage. However, Sheth and Mitesh had other plans.
They were aided by the easing pitch at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium and a Mumbai spin attack that showed signs of fallibility. Sheth patiently rotated the strike, while Mitesh impressed with his aggressive strokeplay, attracting the attention of several IPL scouts present at the ground. Mitesh effortlessly drove the spinners with precision, regularly reverse-sweeping the off-spin duo of Kotian and debutant Himanshu Singh when Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane set an on-side field. This high-risk shot was highly effective, not only in terms of scoring runs but also in unsettling the Mumbai spinners.
Just as Mitesh was poised for a well-deserved century, a thick edge off his bat found its way into Rahane’s hands at slips. If Rahane had held onto another sharp chance offered by Raj Limbani towards the end of the day, and if Siddhesh Lad hadn’t dropped a straightforward catch on his return after 56 months in Mumbai colours, the visitors would have been in a more comfortable position.
While Baroda controlled the last two sessions, Mumbai had dominated the morning. Shardul Thakur needed just five balls to dismiss Shivalik Sharma. Mohit Avasthi then trapped Jyotsnil Singh, leading to a catch by Shams Mulani at short midwicket. Mumbai’s spin trio – Himanshu, alongside regulars Mulani and Kotian – then took charge. On a damp surface, Mulani and Kotian found grip and turn, dismantling Baroda’s middle order.
