Ajinkya Rahane led Mumbai cricket team to a record-extending 42nd Ranji Trophy title on Thursday. Mumbai clinched an impressive win against Vidarbha in the final at Wankhede Stadium to end an eight-year wait for the silverware.
Chasing a mammoth 538-run target, Vidarbha's second innings collapsed on 368 on Day 5. In-form spin all-rounders Tanush Kotian and Musheer Khan were impressive in the final with the former taking four wickets in the second innings and the latter scoring century to clinch the Player of the Match award.
Rahane also contributed by scoring a crucial 73 runs off 143 balls in Mumbai's second innings in the final. However, this was the only second fifty for the veteran Indian batter in the Ranji Trophy 2024 as he endured a poor domestic season.
Having lost a place in the Test cricket team last year, Rahane managed to score just 214 runs in 13 innings at an average of 17.83 in Ranji Trophy 2024. He was Mumbai's ninth-highest run-getter in the tournament this season but revealed that he feels the 'happiest player' in his title-winning team.
"Even though I am the lowest scorer for my team, I am the happiest to lift the trophy," Rahane said at the post-match presentation. "As a player, you will have ups and downs. It's about creating atmosphere in dressing room and enjoy each other's success. This is a special moment. Last year, we failed to qualify for the knock-outs by one run. We had to create the right culture and attitude in the team. We created a fitness culture and I would thank MCA for providing all the support."
Rahane also praised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for their recent efforts to prioritize domestic cricket.
"I want to mention about BCCI for giving importance to domestic cricket, which is a very good thing. Allowing players to go and play domestic cricket is very important," Rahane added.
