History has a way of knocking quietly and on Friday, Siddhesh Lad opened the door with his bat. The Mumbai batter delivered another composed and determined innings to put his team in control against Delhi in the second leg of the Ranji Trophy, while also etching his name into an elite chapter of Indian domestic cricket.
Siddhesh Lad became only the third Mumbai batter to score five or more centuries in a single Ranji Trophy season, joining Rusi Modi and the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Across the tournament’s long nine-decade journey, just 26 batters have managed this feat, making Siddhesh Lad’s achievement even more special in Mumbai’s storied cricket history. Rusi Modi achieved it in the 1944–45 season, Sachin Tendulkar followed in 1994–95 and now Siddhesh Lad has proudly added his name to that list.
Continuing his remarkable form, Siddhesh Lad struck an unbeaten 102 off 178 balls, hitting 12 boundaries. It was his fourth consecutive century this season, guiding Mumbai to 266 for 5 by the end of the day. His innings was quite crucial as Delhi was trying to seize control on the match by making early breakthroughs after scoring 221 runs in their first innings.
Siddhesh Lad found a reliable partner in Suved Parkar who remained unbeaten on 53. Together, they stitched a crucial 130-run stand for the sixth wicket, steadying Mumbai’s innings and swinging the momentum back in their favour.
Speaking after the day’s play, Siddhesh Lad kept his focus grounded. While playing for India remains his long-term dream, he stressed that his immediate priority is delivering for Mumbai and helping the team win the Ranji Trophy. After returning to Mumbai last year following a stint with Goa in the 2022–23 season, Siddhesh Lad expressed gratitude for the faith shown in him by the Mumbai Cricket Association.
The son of renowned coach Dinesh Lad, who has mentored several Indian cricketers including Rohit Sharma, Siddhesh Lad views his background as a blessing rather than a burden. He shared that his father never put pressure on him, even when expectations from others were high.
At stumps, Mumbai held a lead of 45 runs, with Siddhesh Lad once again standing tall at the heart of their fightback.
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