Ajinkya Rahane, veteran Indian batter and Mumbai captain, endured another frustrating outing in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, registering a golden duck for the second consecutive match. Kerala’s potent pace attack, spearheaded by Basil Thampi and Vishweshwar Suresh, sent Mumbai reeling at 54/3 at the end of the first session on day one of their Elite Group B clash in Thumba.
The woes began right from the first ball, with Thampi finding Jay Bista plumb LBW. He then turned his attention to the prized wicket of Ajinkya Rahane, forcing the Mumbai skipper to nick one through to Sanju Samson behind the stumps – a dismissal that sent shivers through the Mumbai lineup.
Left-arm pacer Suresh joined the party, sending Suved Parkar packing for 18. While opener Bhupen Lalwani remained unbeaten on 29, along with Parkar’s 18, the early blows inflicted by the Kerala bowlers left Mumbai in a precarious position.
Ajinkya Rahane needs to find form
This latest duck extends Rahane’s struggles in the Ranji Trophy. His failure to score comes on the heels of another golden duck in Mumbai’s previous match against Andhra, raising concerns about his form and confidence.
With Mumbai leading the group with 14 points from two games, this unexpected stumble against Kerala throws the race for dominance wide open. Meanwhile, Kerala, currently sitting in fifth position with four points, will be aiming to capitalize on Mumbai’s vulnerabilities and push for a crucial first-innings advantage.
Ajinkya Rahane struggles, however, remain the talking point. The experienced batsman, who has been battling for his spot in the Indian Test team, will need to find his mojo quickly if he wants to silence the doubters and reclaim his place in the national side.
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