Ranji Trophy: Parthiv hits ton as Gujarat dominate

NAVI MUMBAI: Even before the first ball had been bowled in this Ranji Trophy Group 'A' clash, Mumbai suffered a big blow when captain Ajit Agarkar pulled out on match eve with a groin strain.
Zaheer Khan was handed over the reins, in the process becoming the 41st captain for the 39-time domestic champions.
The hosts also made two changes to the XI for their final group stage game - with speedster Dhawal Kulkarni coming in for Agarkar, and batsman Nikhil Patil making his first-class debut in place of Iqbal Abdulla.
The off-field changes had no effect on the on-field show though, as Mumbai, after winning a good toss and on a DY Patil wicket that aided seamers for the better part of the day, bowled out Gujarat for 244 to give themselves a sound chance of making it to the knockouts.
At stumps on Saturday, they were 24 for the loss of Kaustubh Pawar's wicket, whose bat-pad offering was brilliantly pouched by a diving Chirag Gandhi off what was the third ball of the day's final over.
Mumbai need to only take the first innings lead to progress to the last-eight stage; the same holds for Gujarat too.
New captain Zaheer he called correctly and sent Gujarat in. He struck first too, catching India Under-19 star Smit Patel plumb in-front with one that swung in sharply.
It was a disciplined bowling performance by Mumbai, and had it not been for the 'dropped-catches syndrome ' that has afflicted them throughout this season, Gujarat could have been bowled out for a much lesser total.
At least three catches were muffed, including one from opposing skipper Parthiv Patel when he was on 64.
Patel went on to score 101, his third hundred of the season, and in the process becoming the top run-getter for the ongoing season (848 runs @70.66).