Ranji Trophy | Rahul’s resolute innings gives Karnataka a fighting chance against Mumbai

K.L. Rahul's unbeaten 60 keeps Karnataka competitive against Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy semifinal chase.

On a warm Sunday afternoon at the MCA-BKC ground, K.L. Rahul came up with one of his grittiest innings to keep Karnataka in the hunt for a Ranji Trophy semifinal berth.

After Tanush Kotian and Tushar Deshpande added 89 runs in 82 balls to guide Mumbai to 377 and set a 325-run target for Karnataka, Rahul (60 batting, 94b, 7x4) showed his brilliance with the bat, despite the visitor losing Mayank Agarwal early.

Rahul’s 84-run partnership with captain Devdutt Padikkal was at the forefront of Karnataka’s fightback. As the surface eased out after initially helping the bowlers, Rahul largely played in the V to bring up his 42nd First Class fifty and put Karnataka on firm footing.

Padikkal, who guided Karnataka to a come-from-behind win against Punjab in the last group match, looked on course to score another fifty, but Tanush Kotian struck as the southpaw offered a regulation catch to Yashasvi Jaiswal at first slip.

But with Rahul and Karun Nair holding fort, Karnataka ended the day at 113 for two, 212 runs away from victory.

However, with the surface offering some turn at the fag end, the Mumbai spinners Kotian and Shams Mulani will have a role to play. And as wicketkeeper-batter Akash Anand, who scored 70 in the second innings, indicated that even though the game is ‘evenly poised’, Mumbai remains on top, with its spinners hoping to make optimum use of the ‘known conditions’ on the fourth day.