Ranji Trophy: Lord Shardul to The Rescue After Star-Studded Mumbai Batting Led by Rohit Sharma Collapse vs J&K

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Shardul Thakur scored a fifty to save Mumbai from humiliation against Jammu & Kashmir after the star-studded batting line-up collapsed on day one of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC in Mumbai.

Thakur, who is fondly called as "Lord", came to the rescue for Mumbai when the scorecard read 47/7. The all-rounder scored 51 off 56 balls as Mumbai managed to post a total of 120 in their first innings on Thursday (January 23).

All eyes were on the Mumbai batting line up after some of the Indian stars, including skipper Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal, turned up to represent their state in the Ranji Trophy after BCCI's insistence on the players to participate in domestic matches.

Following a dismal run in Australia, Rohit returned to Ranji Trophy after a decade to get some runs under his belt ahead of the Champions Trophy but it was not to be at least in Mumbai's first innings against Jammu and Kashmir.

Going for his trademark pull off Umar Nazir, Rohit (3) got a leading edge which was caught by J&K skipper Paras Dogra at mid-off. His India opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) too fell cheaply for Mumbai.

The southpaw was pinned in front of the wicket by Auqib Nabi, who made the most of the fresh wicket to move the new ball dangerously off the surface in Mumbai at the BKC Ground.

Named in the squad for the Champions Trophy, Shreyas Iyer (11) was caught at mid on off pacer Yudhvir Singh, while Shivam Dube (0) and Ajinkya Rahane (12), who also had national team experience, hardly troubled the scorers.

Umar Nazir Mir was the chief destructor in the J&K bowling attack as the pacer claimed four of the top seven wickets. However, Thakur and Tanush Kotian (26) stitched a fighting 63-run stand to take Mumbai past 100 and a respectable total.