While yesterday was all about Mumbai’s Sarfaraz Khan, today was all about Rest of India (ROI) opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, who scored his 26th first-class hundred to take his team to 289/4 at stumps on day 3 in Lucknow after Mumbai could only add one run to their overnight total of 536 and were bundled out for 537.
Just like the previous day, ROI skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad placed fielders near the boundary to prevent Sarfaraz from hitting big shots. Sarfaraz managed to retain the strike for three overs, but Mukesh Kumar was too good for Mohammed Juned Khan. Mukesh’s effort earned him a well-deserved five-wicket haul, a fitting reward for his persistence and skill.
ROI openers Gaikwad and Easwaran stepped up to the crease to begin proceedings. The new SG ball offered considerable movement for the Mumbai pacers. Both openers were tested in the first five overs, but Easwaran soon found his rhythm, frequently timing the ball well and avoiding false shots. While Easwaran grew in confidence, Gaikwad looked unsettled from the start. His indecisive footwork eventually led to his dismissal, brilliantly caught by Prithvi Shaw in the slips off Juned Khan’s bowling. There was just enough lateral movement to force Gaikwad into playing the shot.
Sai Sudharsan, the next man in, looked solid too. Despite a few close calls early on, he started finding gaps after the first ten deliveries, and his partnership with Easwaran began to flourish. Their 87-run stand was broken by Tanush Kotian, whose arm ball skidded through to trap Sudharsan on the back pad. The umpire’s call meant Sudharsan had to walk after what was a rather lazy push.
Devdutt Padikkal’s brief stay was ended by the relentless accuracy of Mohit Avasthi, who worked hard bowling in the fourth-stump channel. ROI struggled to build big partnerships, with Mumbai’s bowlers consistently breaking promising stands. Ishan Kishan played some eye-catching strokes but fell trying to manufacture a shot off Avasthi’s bowling.
Amidst all this, Easwaran stood like a rock. His approach was straightforward—defend or leave the good deliveries, and capitalise on the loose ones. At times, he forced the Mumbai bowlers to adopt negative lines. Much like Sarfaraz the previous day, Easwaran had a stroke of luck in the 90s when he edged one that fortunately flew between the keeper and first slip for a boundary. He certainly earned that bit of fortune after a long day of gritty work, and it came at just the right moment. Batting wasn’t easy, with the heat and humidity making conditions tough.
Dhruv Jurel provided solid support to Easwaran, taking his time to settle before unleashing some fine shots. The wicket-keeper batter looked composed throughout, building a steady unbeaten partnership of 61 runs with Easwaran, who crossed the 150-run milestone during their stand to see the day off.
To their credit, Mumbai’s bowlers bowled their hearts out in the scorching heat. The wicket offered little assistance, aside from some bounce, but they prevented any partnerships from flourishing. With rough patches developing on the pitch, Mumbai will be relying on their spinners to make a big impact tomorrow.
Brief scores: Mumbai 537/10 (Sarfaraz Khan 222*, Ajinkya Rahane 97; Mukesh Kumar 4/109) vs Rest of India 289/4 (Abhimanyu Easwaran 151*, Ishan Kishan 38; Mohit Avasthi 2/66). Stumps, Day 3.