Ranji Trophy Semifinal | Mumbai takes control as the Tamil Nadu batters come a cropper on green top

Mumbai pacers dominate Tamil Nadu in Ranji Trophy semifinal, leaving batters struggling as hosts take control.

 Once is a mistake, twice is a pattern.

The pattern of Mumbai pacers making Tamil Nadu specialist batters appear ordinary on the first morning continued for the second successive season.

Riding on an all-round effort by Mumbai’s bowling pack, the host seized control of the Ranji Trophy semifinal on day one at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground here on Saturday.

Though Mumbai lost its openers to end the day at 45 for two, Tamil Nadu had little reason to smile. After all, its batters had let the team down to being bowled out for 146 after opting to bat.

The last time these two sides met at the Brabourne Stadium in 2022-23, Mumbai had shot TN down for a paltry 144.

Hence, it was a surprise to see R. Sai Kishore opting to bat on a greenish and moist surface.

The Mumbai pacers bowled accurately to force the TN batters into errors. B. Sai Sudharsan paid the price for trying to play Shardul Thakur across the line in the opening over of the match.