When Gujarat took on Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy final, most pundits were considering it to be a case of David vs Goliath. After all, prior to this year’s final Mumbai had won the Ranji Trophy a record 41 times and Gujarat had never been crowned champions. Also, Gujarat were missing the services of Jasprit Bumrah because he had been called up for international duty against England. However, the beauty of sport is that underdogs can seize the moment and emerge victorious.

Gujarat had a vital lead of 100 after the first innings and therefore they ensured that Mumbai had to win the match to clinch the title. Mumbai being the champion team that they are, posted a score of 411 in their 2nd innings, setting Gujarat a target of 312 to win. The enormity of the task could be judged from the fact that prior to this, the highest total to win a Ranji Final in the 4th innings was 310/9 by Hyderabad vs Nawanagar in 1938. The most by any team to win a Final against Mumbai was 294/7 by Punjab in 2005. So, history was against Gujarat.

However, Gujarat had the Pocket Dynamo, Parthiv Patel in their ranks. Over the past few months, he has had a new lease of life. He had made a splendid comeback into the Indian team, impressing both with the bat and the gloves. He had also scored a valiant 90 in the 1st innings. He walked in the 2ndinnings with the score on 51/2. At this stage it looked like an uphill task. Parthiv started his innings in aggressive fashion scoring 6 fours in his first 25 runs. This showed that he was not overawed by the steep target and was willing to guts it out. Gujarat lost SB Gohel with the score on 89 and at that stage; Mumbai looked to be in control.

In the very next over, Parthiv struck 2 boundaries, thereby signalling his intentions. He was not going for the defensive option of winning by virtue of first innings lead, but was trying for the outright win. Along with MC Juneja, he kept the scoreboard ticking and reached his fifty, which contained 11 fours. Slowly, the pair transferred the pressure onto the Mumbai bowlers and an exciting finish was on the cards. Parthiv cut a couple of deliveries from Gohil for boundaries and Gujarat edged closer. Juneja, fell with the score on 205 and Gujarat still needed 107 more runs to win.

In the next over, from Sandhu, Parthiv struck 3 fours and the heads of the Mumbai fielders started to droop. He reached his century off 148 balls, studded with 18 fours. Mumbai’s last throw of the dice was to take the new ball. However, Parthiv dashed Mumbai’s hopes with a blaze of boundaries against Thakur. The word captain’s knock is used to describe an outstanding innings by a captain and this was truly an amazing knock by Parthiv taking into account the enormity of the occasion. He was finally dismissed on 143 when he was caught and bowled by Thakur. His innings contained 24 fours from 196 balls at a batting strike rate of 72.95. He fell with the score on 299, when victory was a formality. Gandhi struck Thakur for a couple of fours and Gujarat had won their first Ranji Title.

For his outstanding knocks of 90 and 143, Parthiv was rightly adjudged the Man of the Match.