By the end of next week, city cricket fans will know whether Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy season is a clear-cut success and whether the trophy returns to the Mumbai Cricket Association’s glittering cabinet at ‘D’ Road, Churchgate. Mumbai, who entered their 45th final on Wednesday in Cuttack beating Madhya Pradesh by virtue of a first innings lead, will take on Saurashtra in the summit clash at Pune in a repeat of 2012-13 final where they were successfully led by Ajit Agarkar at Wankhede Stadium.
"It’s just been two years that we won the Ranji Trophy, but according to Mumbai’s standards, it is quite a lot (of time)," Agarkar quipped during a conversation with mid-day yesterday.

Ajit Agarkar’s team with the Ranji Trophy in 2013 at the Wankhede Stadium. Pics/mid-day archive