Ranji Trophy 2026: Tushar Deshpande's Hat-Trick, Five-Wicket Haul Put Mumbai In Command Against Chandigarh At Wankhede

Mumbai: Tushar Deshpande’s sensational hat-trick against a toothless Chandigarh batting attack and some late order resistance from Mumbai batters helped the home side take complete control of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match at the Wankhede Stadium, here on Monday.

Deshpande plucked his sixth fifer in his 50th First Class match as the Mumbai pace attack dismantled a listless Chandigarh outfit to shreds after their own lower order batters, Deshpande included, frustrated the visiting bowlers to put up 429 that is now proving to be bigger than it already is.

Chandigarh were bowled out for 78 in 19.1 overs and staring down the barrell with a herculean task to save the match against the marauding Mumbai attack as they handed the home team a 351-run first innings lead.

Deshpande’s 5/17 comprised the hat-trick that he took in his sixth over and Chandigarh’s 11th over with the third, fourth and fifth ball of that over.

In the process, Deshpande also became the sixth Mumbai bowler ever to claim a hat-trick in the Ranji Trophy. He is preceded by Jehangir Khot, Umesh Kulkarni, Abdul Ismail, Royston Dias and Shardul Thakur. Among the six, only Khot is a spinner while the rest are all pacers.

The Mumbai pacer first saw the back of Arjun Azad having him caught by Sylvester D’Souza for 20. Then he bowled a beauty of a delivery to get Shivam Bhambri bowled and finally the hat-trick ball saw him get Dipender Khush holing out to Yashasvi Jaiswal at first slip.

Mohit Avasthi scalped 3/9 while Sylvester D’Souza picked 2/51 to add to Chandigarh’s misery.

Chandigarh were asked to follow on as expected with Deshpande bowling Vishu Kashyap as the visitors took stumps at 0/1 in one over.

Vice-captain Ayush Mhatre did not take the field for Mumbai on day two with Suved Parkar replacing him on the field.

Earlier, Mumbai got themselves into a reasonably strong position as they breached the 400-run mark riding on a later order counter-attack from Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande and Mohit Avasthi to put Chandigarh under pressure in the blazing heat.

They wrapped up their innings at 429 in 126.5 overs with Avasthi unbeaten on 56 in 119 balls with six fours and two sixes.

Rohit Dhanda scalped 4/78 while Raj Bawa picked up four wickets for 73 runs with the latter claiming the last wicket of Sylvester D’Souza as well.

After Lad missed out on what would have been a brilliant hundred, bowled for 86, Kotian struck 58 with five fours and Deshpande’s 44 off 47 balls with four boundaries and two sixes ensured Mumbai had something decent to bowl with against Chandigarh.

Avasthi consolidated the total further towards the end of the innings as he frustrated the Chandigarh bowlers with his unorthodox strokeplay.

He brought up his fifty in 109 balls with six fours and two sixes and remained unbeaten on 56.

When Chandigarh came onto bat in their first innings, absolute mayhem ensued as Arslan Khan was bowled by Deshpande to put Chandigarh on the backfoot with the visitors slipping to 16/1 in seven overs. Then came the hat-trick as he got Arjun Azad off the third ball and then Shivam Bhambri on the fourth and finally Dipender Khush caught at first slip by Jaiswal off Deshpande in the latter’s sixth over.

Earlier, Mumbai added 51 runs in over an hour of play with Siddhesh Lad’s dismissal being the highlight as he missed a certain hundred getting out for 86. He was bowled through the gate by Raj Bawa off a peach of a delivery.

Shams Mulani too departed after a well-made 39 caught behind by Akshit Rana off Bawa’s bowling again.

Losing two well set batters was certainly a setback for Mumbai but Tushar Deshpande and Tanush Kotian launched a blistering counter-attack as they got together for the eight wicket.