Shreyas Iyer special helps Mumbai edge ahead on Day 2

"How Shreyas Iyer is not representing the national side is beyond me," a respected cricket journalist tweeted earlier on Thursday (25 February). How indeed! And if he ever needed to press his case further, Shreyas Iyer did it on a bowler-friendly track and in the final of India's premier domestic tournament. He smashed his fourth hundred of the season and helped Mumbai gain a significant advantage in the final at the Maharastra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Thursday (February 25).

The right-hander has been the most stellar performer for the Mumbai team over the course of the season, slamming four hundreds and sevens fifties, to take his tally beyond 1300 for the season. He now sits behind only the legendary VVS Laxman (1409) for the most number of runs in a single season of Ranji Trophy. That he has scored all these runs at a Virender Sehwag-esque strike-rate of 90+ makes his achievements all the more sensational.

Saurashtra, who started day two at 192/8, added 43 to their overnight score before being bowled out. Dhawal Kulkarni finished with a fifer while Shardul Thakur ended up with a three-wicket haul. In reply, Mumbai rode on Iyer's brisk 117 off 142, which included 15 fours and two sixes, before the 40-time Ranji champions lost wickets in a heap towards the end of the day. They finished the day with a 27-run lead, but with only two wickets remaining.

On Thursday, among constant calls for him to show khadoos from the Mumbai camp, Iyer started off in an iffy manner. Struggling to counter the helpful conditions and an in-form Jaydev Unadkat (two for 55 in 17 overs). He eventually edged Deepak Punia towards second slip, an opportunity that came Saurashtra's way thanks to Unadkat's long and incisive eight-over spell from the other end, but Aarpit Vasavada spilled the straight-forward chance. That was the break Iyer needed.

He re-gathered himself, refocussed and started to play a completely different innings. Mumbai needed him to play one such. They were already in a spot of bother having lost their openers to a red-hot Unadkat. The in-form Akhil Herwadkar (caught behind for 0) lasted only two deliveries, while Bhavin Thakkar (6 off 20 balls) was bowled by an inswinger that will sit in many fast bowlers' top drawer. Iyer started off with a boundary off his first ball, but his struggles against Unadkat suggested the innings won't last.

Thankfully for Mumbai, it did. After the Vasavada reprieve, Iyer started to script another epic knock. Suryakumar Yadav, at the other end, was content with just blocking the ball away, but his partner took the attack to the bowlers. Once Unadkat was given a rest, Iyer started to dominate the bowlers.

Punia was lofted for a six over long-off and the 21-year-old soon notched up his 11th fifty+ score of the season - a joint record in Ranji Trophy. Yadav had scored just three in the 47 balls he had faced before he decided to give the scorer some additional work post lunch.

The second session seemed much more easier to bat in for the Mumbai batsmen and they started to plunder the attack. Punia, Chirag Jani, Hardik Rathod and Prerak Herwadkar, all started to leak boundaries as Mumbai started to take a firm grip on proceedings. Yadav, too, got into his groove and slammed a three boundaries in quick succession - the third of which brought up Mumbai's hundred.

The passage almost until the end of tea was a smooth one for Mumbai. Iyer continued his onslaught, taking on the bowlers at will and piercing the off-side and straight boundaries regularly, while Yadav comfortably rotated strike. He continued to punish Punia, slamming him for a six and a four in the same over. He went on to bring up his sixth First-Class hundred, the fourth this season. Just ahead of tea, however, Iyer perished trying to play the big shot against Chirag Jani. The knock, however, would remain one of his most special for time to come.

With 60 more runs needed to claim the crucial first-innings lead, Mumbai suffered a mini hiccup. Aditya Tare became Jani's second victim after making 19, while Yadav's impregnable defence finally deserted him as he edged a catch to Cheteshwar Pujara, two short of his fifty. Saurashtra had the chance to further peg Mumbai back, but Vasavada dropped his second catch of the day when he put down Abhishek Nayar on 11. The left-hander was eventually trapped LBW on 19, but by then the scores were equalled.

Mumbai went on to claim the vital first-innings lead soon after. Saurashtra were also given an official warning towards the end of the day for using excess saliva on the ball, but they soon overcame that as Rathod (three for 44) had Dhawal Kulkarni bowled for one. Off the very next ball, Shardul Thakur edged a catch behind to Sheldon Jackson, who had replaced Vasavada at slip. Jackson failed to hold on to the catch, but Pujara, standing at first slip, was able to pouch the rebound. From 195/3, Mumbai had slipped to 250/8, potentially throwing away the chance to get a big lead.

Brief scores: Saurashtra 235 (Arpit Vasavada 77, Prerak Mankad 66; Dhawal Kulkarni 5-42, Shardul Thakur 3-89) trail Mumbai 262/8 (Shreyas Iyer 117, Suryakumar Yadav 48; Hardik Rathod 3-44, Jaydev Unadkat 2-55) by 17 runs.