Ranji Trophy: Skipper Amandeep Khare slams superb ton to keep Chhatisgarh in hunt vs Mumbai

Leading by example, Chhattisgarh skipper Amandeep Khare scored a brilliant century (119 not out, 147b, 13x4, 4x6) to single-handedly help his team inch closer to a first innings lead on Day Three against Mumbai in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur.
On a thrilling morning session on Sunday, Khare steered Chhattisgarh to 327 for eight in reply to Mumbai's first innings score of 351.Now, Chhatisgarh need only 25 runs to get a first innings lead.
This is Khare's 12th century in 47 first-class matches. The 26-year-old is the first player from Chhattisgarh proper to play for India at any level - he was part of the Rahul Dravid-coached India Under-19 World Cup team in Bangladesh in 2016.
Incidentally, this isn't the first time that Khare has hurt Mumbai. In September 2019, he had cracked a superb 117 not out to help the team score a stunning win over Mumbai in a Vijay Hazare Trophy (one-dayers) at Bangalore. It is the only time that Chhattisgarh had beaten Mumbai in any format.
For Mumbai, pacer Tushar Deshpande took four for 116 in 25 overs, while left-arm fast bowler Royston Dias took 2-43 in 15 overs.
Playing his first game since returning from an ankle injury, India pace bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur failed to take a wicket, returning with figures of 0-77 in 19 overs.