Irani Cup 2024, Day 2 Review: Sarfaraz Khan bosses his way to monumental double-ton as Mumbai rack up 536

After bad light had brought a premature end to Day 1 of the Irani Cup 2024-25 game between Mumbai and Rest of India, the side bowling first would have ideally wanted to turn up fresh for Day 2 and pick up a few early wickets to keep the Mumbai batters in check.

They even claimed the skipper of Mumbai, Ajinkya Rahane, as an early breakthrough for the day. Rahane, who fell for a 234-ball 97, was unfortunate to be a victim of the nervous nineties, as he was undone by a well-directed bouncer from Yash Dayal. 

With Shams Mulani being the fourth victim of Mukesh Kumar in the match, it wasn't seeming as if Mumbai's innings would last long. However, Tanush Kotian, who has since the past year shown instrumental growth in his batting, turned out to be the perfect foil for Sarfaraz Khan. Both of them were equally proficient in their ability to rotate the strike around. 

It didn't seem one bit that Sarfaraz was feeling the pangs of exhaustion as he continued on his own merry way with Kotian slowly but surely ticking up his own personal score too. Sarafaz's 150 was followed up by Kotian's 13th first-class half-century as Tea was called, with Mumbai just one run shy of the 450-run mark.

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Krishna's double whammy and Sarfaraz's double delight

Rest of India finally had some respite in the form of Kotian and Mohit Avasthi getting dismissed on successive deliveries off Praisdh Krishna, as it was suddenly felt unlikely that the 26-year-old would be able to notch up his third double-ton. Shardul Thakur survived long enough for well-set Sarfaraz to bring up a momentous double-hundred, becoming the first Mumbai cricketer to achieve the feat in the Irani Cup's history.

On achieving the landmark, Thakur joined the party as he took left-arm spinner, Manav Suthar, on in a batting display which propelled the run-rate quite significantly. The fast-bowling all-rounder would feel that he lost out on an opportunity to register a half-century as he chopped one off Saransh Jain to grant him his first dismissal of the match.

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The same over was a wicket-maiden as the debutant, Mohammad Juned Khan, survived three deliveries for Stumps to be called with Mumbai amassing a score of 538/9.