Mulani happy to spin it for Mumbai

Shams Mulani is developing a fearsome reputation in first-class cricket thanks to his knack of taking wickets in a heap. He maintains a good line and gets wickets by varying his length. It has been there for all to see in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy game at the MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground where Andhra batters have been at the receiving end of the left-arm spinner’s guile.

In the first innings, Mulani helped bundle out Andhra for 184 runs with splendid figures of 24-5-65-6. After Mumbai, having scored 395, enforced the follow-on, Mulani followed it up with an effort of 19-4-63-3 to leave the visitors reeling at 166/5. They trail by 45 runs going into the fourth and final day.

Consistency is the hallmark of good players and the spinner epitomises it. He was the second highest wicket-taker last season with 46 wickets after topping the list with 45 wickets in the 2021-22 season. In the 2019-20 Ranji season too, he was Mumbai’s highest wicket-taker with 26 wickets.

After his performance this weekend, he looks good for a repeat this season.

“I think my rhythm is going good. The first game (vs Bihar) I didn't bowl that much as the fast bowlers took all the wickets but this game, I knew it is going to be a tough, tough outing for the bowlers where they'll have to grind it out. For me personally, it is going well," Mulani said after the third day’s play.

Notably against Andhra, he picked up the big scalps of captain Ricky Bhui in both the innings and their premier batter, Hanuma Vihari, in the first.

He has proved himself against the best at domestic level, but to take the next step in his career, he faces strong competition with Ravindra Jadeja having set the benchmark in Test cricket. The challenge is to keep working and improving. “I feel that I'm in good rhythm and I've just, you know, tried to hold my body posture a bit more than last year so that I don't give away too many bad balls. Other than that, I've just tried to keep it very simple.”

Mulani, who was selected by legendary left-arm spinner Padmakar Shivalkar and Pravin Amre for a summer camp at Shivaji Park when he was just nine, doesn't look the fittest but made it to the Rest of India team for Irani Cup by the sheer weight of his performances. Jadeja has set the benchmark so high in terms of fitness and fielding that any player coming in will be measured by that standard. And it's a very tricky balance for the spinners, to maintain flexibility while working on their fitness. The spinner says the sheer volume of bowling that he does proves he can handle the grind.

“The amount of bowling I've done in the past two years and before that shows I am fit enough to put in those hard yards, keep on bowling for days. Just that I'm trying to work on it more so that if I go on certain levels, then it shouldn't be a point where in “Oh, that's missing”. So, I'm trying to cover all bases. Keep bowling as much as I can, keep practicing, getting better each day.”

The wickets tally (139 wickets in 29 FC games) shows he is close to realising his dream of playing international cricket. Another good season with the ball and if he can back it with good fielding and running between the wickets, he has a good chance to be the back-up spinner to someone like Jadeja.

“That's always been the dream but not thinking about that too much. Just keep performing for my team and helping them as I can. And improving as a bowler each day. That's what is in my mind right now. I don't think about selection. It's a process that's not in my hand. So, I just focus on my bowling and my game.”