Defending champions Mumbai find themselves in an uncomfortable situation with Gujarat grabbing an important 63-run lead with four wickets remaining when stumps was drawn, here on the second day of the Ranji Trophy final yesterday
Amay Khurasiya
Amay Khurasiya
Indore: Defending champions Mumbai find themselves in an uncomfortable situation with Gujarat grabbing an important 63-run lead with four wickets remaining when stumps was drawn, here on the second day of the Ranji Trophy final yesterday. Though Gujarat have gained an upper hand in the match, former India batsman Amay Khurasiya feels Mumbai will bounce back today morning. "If Mumbai get Gujarat out before taking a lead of 150 then it will be Mumbai's match. Mumbai are not a team who will play to lose. I am confident they will get the remaining wickets in half-an-hour today. Mumbai have that ability which is why they have won the title 41 times. They have already got the wicket of Gujarat's big player Parthiv Patel. If he was unbeaten then it would have been a problem," Khurasiya, who was present at the stadium, told mid-day yesterday.
ADVERTISEMENT
The former Madhya Pradesh skipper, who scored his maiden ODI half-century on debut against Sri Lanka at Pune in 1999, is confident Mumbai can turn the tide in their favour because of the attitude the team possesses. "I am a big fan of their attitude. They hold a lot of pride representing their state. They know how to play knockouts and handle pressure well which is a good thing," the former India southpaw added. Khurasiya, who is the head coach of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association's residential academy, warned that Gujarat that they will have to bat on this wicket in the fourth innings, which may not be batting-friendly. He said: "This wicket will turn and bounce a lot on the fourth and fifth days. It will all depend on how the spinners take advantage of it."
Asked about Madhya Pradesh's performance this season, Khurasiya, who played 119 first-class games, scoring 7304 runs, is not satisfied with the team. "We need to be consistent. We are talented, but not consistent. The team is lacking in self belief. With time, we will be able to plug these holes," he added.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
