From Nair to Mulani: Top batting and bowling performances in second round of Ranji Trophy 2021-22

The second round of the Ranji Trophy 2021-22 season saw defending champions Saurashtra register an innings victory against Odisha, while Delhi’s chances of qualifying for the next round were all but over after a defeat to Jharkhand.

But it was Mumbai and Kerala who perhaps earned the most impressive wins in round two. While Mumbai fought back after conceding a big first innings lead to beat Goa, Kerala launched a brilliant chase on the final day to get the better of Gujarat.

Results and group standings after Round 2 of Ranji Trophy 2021-22

Jharkhand, Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Saurashtra, Mumbai and Punjab were the teams that registered wins in the Elite division, while Nagaland was the only team that notched up a victory in the Plate division.

Here’s a look at the top batting and bowling performances in the second round of the Ranji Trophy 2021-22 season:

Top batters

Rohan Kunnummal: The 23-year-old right-handed opening batter scored hundreds in both innings against Gujarat. He became the first batter from Kerala to hit centuries in three successive innings in the Ranji Trophy. After getting 129 in the first innings, Rohan hit an unbeaten 106 off 87 as Kerala completed a remarkable chase inside two sessions on the final day. They had 41 overs to score 214 and they got to the target in just 35.4 overs.

Vishnu Solanki: Despite losing his new-born daughter earlier this month and receiving the news of his father’s death on the final day of the second-round match against Chandigarh, the 29-year-old showed great courage in completing the match for Baroda. The right-hander’s 104 helped his team gain the first innings lead and BCA later confirmed that he will play the next match too.

Chirag Jani: Reigning champions Saurashtra defeated Odisha by an innings and 131 runs and the player of the match for them was Chirag Jani. The 32-year-old right-hander came in to bat at No 3 and went on to score 235 off 373 deliveries. He hit 33 fours and four sixes in his marathon knock. His effort guided Saurashtra to a total of 501 after they won the toss and opted to bat first.

Karun Nair: Karnataka defeated Jammu and Kashmir by 117 runs on the back of a fine century by Nair. Electing to bat first, Karnataka finished with a total of 302 with Nair scoring 175 of those runs. The 30-year-old right-hander came in at No 3 and held firm as wickets kept falling at the other end. He was the second-last batter to be dismissed and his valiant innings of 311 balls went a long way in setting up the win for his team. Nair backed that up with an unbeaten 71 in the second innings.

Mandeep Singh: Punjab notched up their first outright win of the season thanks to an unbeaten 159 by Mandeep. The 30-year-old right-hander came to the crease at No 4 and was not out at the end of the Punjab innings after facing 289 deliveries. He hit 16 fours and two sixes and his effort laid the foundation for a comfortable 10-wicket win against Haryana.

Top bowlers

Shams Mulani: Mumbai had a forgettable first innings, getting bowled out for 163. They then managed to restrict Goa to 327 thanks to a six-wicket haul from Mulani. The 24-year-old left-hander then hit a half-century batting at No 8 to help his team declare at 395/9 in the second innings. Finally, the left-arm spinner opened the bowling and took five more wickets to help Mumbai bowl out Goa for just 112 and bring up an incredible 119-run victory.

Dharmendrasinh Jadeja: Chirag Jani may have been declared the player of the match but Jadeja’s contribution in Saurashtra’s innings victory against Odisha was just as crucial. After posting a total of 501 batting first, Saurashtra bowled out Odisha for scores of 165 and 205 (following on). And the star with the ball in both innings was Jadeja. The 31-year-old left-arm spinner bagged a four-for in the first innings and returned with a seven-for in the second innings to finish with 11 wickets in the match.

Prasidh Krishna: After a superb run in the recent ODI series against West Indies, the 26-year-old right-arm pacer continued his fine form and picked up 10 wickets in Karnataka’s victory against Jammu and Kashmir. Nair’s century earned him the player of the match award but Prasidh’s performance was equally important for the team as he bagged six wickets in the first innings and four in the second. His effort ensured Jammu and Kashmir were restricted to scores of 93 and 390 to lose by 117 runs.

Mayank Mishra: Uttarakhand bagged their second win on the trot by defeating Rajasthan by 299 runs in the second round of matches. They bowled out Rajasthan for scores of just 129 and 155 in the two innings and the star with the ball for them was Mishra. The 31-year-old left-arm spinner picked seven wickets in the first innings and four in the second.

Shahbaz Nadeem: Jharkhand’s match against Delhi went down to the wire. Jharkhand batted first and took a narrow first innings lead before setting Delhi a target of 335. Delhi, riding on a century from opener Dhruv Shorey, put up an impressive fight in the fourth innings of the match but went on to lose by 15 runs. The star with the ball for Jharkhand was 32-year-old left-arm spinner Nadeem, who returned with five-wicket hauls in both innings and ensured Jharkhand kept their nose ahead throughout.