Mumbai: Rohit Sharma has once again flattered to deceive against the touring New Zealand side ahead of the first Test at Kanpur by managing only 18 on Day Two of the three-day practice match against the visiting Black Caps at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Saturday.
Mumbai Ranji team were in a strong position at the close of play with Kaustubh Pawar and Suryakumar Yadav scoring enterprising centuries and rattling the Black Caps ahead of the first Test. Rohit scored an ungainly 18 and could be carrying drinks against the visitors.
On a flat a wicket, Mumbai revelled including Pawar (100 off 228 balls), Yadav (103 off 86), Siddhesh Lad (86 not out off 62) and rookie Arman Jaffer (69 off 123).
Mumbai, resuming the innings at 29 for one, went on to reach 431 for five by stumps on day two after New Zealand had posted 324 for 7 on the opening day. A total of 402 runs were scored in 90 overs at a run rate of 4.46.
New Zealand bowlers had a rough day as they struggled on the Feroz Shah Kotla track. They were inconsistent and tried too many things and paid the price. Ish Sodhi bowled with some control (2/132) but Mitchell Santner and Mark Craig were attacked and Mumbai team had no trouble against them.
The only disappointment was the performance of India’s ace player Rohit Sharma. Sharma is part of the 15 member squad for the three Tests against New Zealanders. The competition is fierce and Sharma would be distraught that he could not quite seal the deal against visitor’s easy paced attack.
Walking into the middle after the fall of Jaffer, Rohit took 10 balls to get off the mark but he opened his account in style, a straight hit for a six on the bowling of leg-spinner Sodhi.
However, that was the sole high point of his brief stay as another attempt to hit Sodhi out of the park saw him being stumped.
For that brief period post lunch, Sodhi and left-arm spinner Santner were in the middle of a probing spell, leading to Rohit’s dismissal.
It was the day of reigning Ranji trophy champions Mumbai, who totally outplayed the visitors. Former Mumbai skipper Suryakumar Yadav scored a brilliant hundred. He was dropped on nought by wrist spinner Ish Sodhi and it proved to be a costly miss.
NZ’s experience pacers Trent Boult and Neil Wagner could not do much as Yadav went hammer and tongs and brought up his fifty and hundred with a maximum. He smashed eight sixes and nine fours and mostly favoured the mid-wicket region. Yadav proved his class after an indifferent Ranji season last year.
Pawar retired out after reaching the three figures, making way for Lad, who also enjoyed his outing alongside Captain Aditya Tare (53 not out).
With bowlers tiring out towards the close of play, it was raining sixes and fours at the Kotla.
Earlier, 17-year-old Jaffer, known for his exploits in junior cricket, batted comfortably against the likes of Boult and Wagner.
He had time to play their extra pace and was equally convincing against the spinners. The opener had started his innings on a promising note when he perfectly timed a straight drive off Boult before smashing Santer for a six.
Mike Hesson, coach would be annoyed and disappointed with his side’s show against a second string Mumbai eleven. Tim Southee has been ruled out of the Test series and Kiwis have lot of soul searching to do ahead of the Test at Kanpur. Kane Williamson, captain needs to take a deep breath and forget about this performance in a hurry and should focus on positives. NZ have never won against India in Indian conditions.
Sharma will be kicking himself to miss out but he has the backing of Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble and if he gets selected at Kanpur then he has to justify his selection and has to score some big runs to retain his place in the side.
Brief scores: Mumbai 431/5 (Yadav 103, Pawar 100, Lad 86*) lead New Zealanders 324/7 dec (Latham 55, Williamson 50) by 107 runs