Shreyas Iyer strikes gold amongst all the grind scoring 95 in Ranji Trophy final

Shreyas Iyer was dropped from the national team after failing to prove himself in the first two Tests of the series against England, with lackluster scores of 35, 13, 27, and 29, respectively. Consequently, Iyer was removed from BCCI’s annual contract list after he decided to pull out of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy quarter-final match against Baroda, citing back pain. However, he was spotted in the KKR academy, which purpotedly infuriated chief selector Ajit Agarkar and BCCI secretary Jay Shah, which led to his name being omitted from the BCCI retainership.

He made his return in Mumbai’s semi-final encounter against Tamil Nadu but failed to get going. However, the Ajinkya Rahane-led side managed to win by an innings and 70 runs and qualified for the final of the competition. In the final against Vidarbha, the 29-year-old once again failed with the bat but in the second innings, he came out on top, hitting 95 runs. He was disappointed following his dismissal, while legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who was in the stands, gave him a standing ovation. Alongside Musheer Khan, Iyer stitched a strong 168-run partnership, giving Mumbai a definite chance to win the Ranji Trophy 2024.

This knock should give the cricketer much-needed momentum. He is currently not in the scheme of things of the national setup as far as Test cricket is concerned and that might change if Iyer keeps up with the form. On top of that, it will also boost his confidence ahead of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. He would eye to do well in the cash-rich tournament, to finalise his spot in the Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Mumbai have a strong grip on the match against Vidharbha. Rahane, marking a rare highlight amidst an otherwise challenging season for the veteran batter who has struggled for form throughout the season, finally displayed glimpses of his class with a commendable knock of 73 in the second innings. Musheer, who has had a terrific time for Mumbai in the tournament, once again rose to the occasion and played a big innings in the final, displaying his prowess in crunch situations.

Also Read - 'We celebrated like it was a hundred' - Shams Mulani on Rahane's gritty Ranji Trophy final fifty

They are now the favourites to get the job done unless Vidharbha pulls off a miracle at the Wankhede Stadium.