Mumbai skipper plays key role in motivating game-turner Vijay Gohil, whose left-arm spin puts Ranji Trophy champs nearer to quarter-final victory over Hyderabad in Raipur
Mumbai skipper Aditya Tare
After missing four games due to a finger injury, Mumbai's left-arm spinner Vijay Gohil is on fire. He made a strong comeback to claim five wickets in the second innings and put the defending champions in the driver's seat in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Hyderabad at Raipur yesterday. The 21-year-old Gohil's 5 for 28 is his best first-class performance so far. At stumps on Day Four, Hyderabad were struggling at 121 for seven chasing a 232-run target.
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'I was under pressure'
Gohil credited skipper Aditya Tare for boosting his confidence yesterday morning. "It's really difficult to play in such a crucial match after injury. I too didn't expect a quick comeback. I was under pressure, but skipper Aditya Tare and coach Chandrakant Pandit assured me that I can perform well. Captain told me not to worry about wickets and just bowl the right length. I also visualised my earlier performances on Sunday evening, which I think played an important role in today's success," Gohil told mid-day over the phone from Raipur yesterday.
Left-arm spinner Vijay Gohil
Mumbai's bowling coach Omkar Salvi also helped Gohil fine-tune his bowling. "Though I got three wickets in the first innings, I was bowling very quickly. Omkar Salvi sir told me to bowl slower and at my normal bowling speed. It really worked today as I got three of my five wickets with such deliveries," Gohil added. Bowling all-rounder Abhishek Nayar also contributed with two for 27. Hyderabad's No. 3 batsman Balchander Anirudh (40 not out) stood firmly against the Mumbai attack, facing 111 balls with one hit over the fence and one boundary.
Mumbai need 3 wickets
For an outright win which would take Mumbai to the semi-final, Tare and Co need three more wickets, while Hyderabad require 111 more runs on the fifth and final day today. Earlier, in the second innings, Mumbai managed 217 with skipper Tare (57) completing his half-century and Siddhesh Lad scoring 47. For Hyderabad, medium pacer Mohammed Siraj claimed a fifer.
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