Ranji Trophy 2023/24

Watch: Shreyas Iyer falls for 95 trying to reach Ranji Trophy final century with a six

by Wisden Staff March 12, 2024 - 12:48pm 2 minute read

Watch: Shreyas Iyer fell for 95 when he tried to hit a six in the 2024 Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha.

Shreyas Iyer returned to domestic cricket after making 35, 13, 27, and 29 in the Test series against England. He reported injured, and following a chain of events, was denied an annual contract by the BCCI.

Iyer has been criticised for his performance against short-pitched bowling in the past. In the semi-final, against Tamil Nadu, he made only three runs. In the first innings of the final, against Vidarbha, Umesh Yadav sized him up with the short ball before dismissing him.

Shardul Thakur lifted Mumbai from 111-6 to 224 before they shot out Vidarbha for 105. Vidarbha then reduced Mumbai to 34-2 before Musheer Khan (136) and captain Ajinkya Rahane (73) put on 130.

Once Rahane fell, Iyer arrived and put in an exhibition of dazzling strokes, smashing 10 fours and three sixes in a 111-ball 95, dominating a partnership of 168. Despite the impending milestone, he tried to clear long-off against medium pacer Aditya Thakare. He failed to time the ball, and Aman Mokhade held the catch at long-off. He missed out on what would have become his 14th first-class hundred.

Mumbai soon became 357-7, but Shams Mulani (50 not out) eventually pushed them to 418 as Harsh Dubey finished with 5-144 and Yash Thakur with 3-79.

Vidarbha need 538 to win the Ranji Trophy. No team has chased a bigger target in the history of first-class cricket, though West Zone had finished on 541-7 while chasing down 536 against South Zone in the 2009/10 Duleep Trophy final.