Pujara slams 91 to bail out Saurashtra against Mumbai

Elite Group D match ended in a draw with Saurahtra making 372 for nine in their second innings on the fourth and final day.

Less than 24 hours after being dropped from the India Test squad, Cheteshwar Pujara struck an uncharacteristic 83-ball 91 for Saurashtra in their Ranji Trophy match against Mumbai here on Sunday.

The Elite Group D match ended in a draw with Saurahtra making 372 for nine in their second innings on the fourth and final day.

Saurashtra were only 48 runs ahead when the stumps were drawn but the lack of time meant Mumbai could not go for an outright victory.

So the record 41-time winners settled for three points from the game for taking the first-innings lead while defending champions Saurashtra bagged one.

Bowling his slow left-arm spin to good effect, Shams Mulani returned career-best figures of 7/114, adding to his four wickets in the Saurashtra first innings.

On Saturday, senior batters Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were dropped from the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, starting from March 4 in Mohali after an inconsistent run.