Mumbai: Suresh Raina sent a reminder to the selectors for his Test recall with a brilliant century on Thursday to help Rest of India post a huge first innings total of 526, but the hosts replied strongly, reaching 155-2 on day two of the Irani Cup match here.
Raina, ignored for the entire four-Test rubber against England by the selectors last year, notched up 134 – his 11th first class century.
In-form Mumbai opener Wasim Jaffer, also seeking a return to the Test team after four years, and one-down batsman Ajinkya Rahane led the home team’s reply with individual half-centuries.
At stumps, the hosts were 371 runs behind ROI with Rahane not out on 55 and giving him company was night watchman Shardul Thakur (4).
Jaffer, who mustered over 800 runs this season in Ranji Trophy in seven games, was caught behind for 80 by Ambati Rayudu off Santakumaran Sreesanth. He put on a partnership of 132 runs for the second wicket with Rahane.
Earlier, Raina added 153 runs in only 172 balls in a punishing seventh wicket stand with Abhimanyu Mithun, who made 51.
Mumbai secured a wicket early on in the fifth over of the day as their pace leader Dhawal Kulkarni dismissed rival captain Harbhajan Singh (26) through a fine diving catch at short cover.
ROI had advanced by 22 runs to 352 when Harbhajan was caught by his Mumbai counterpart Abhishek Nayar, but thereafter the home team’s wayward bowling was torn to shreds by Raina, overnight not out on 36, and Mithun as they took the score past 500. (PTI)
Brief scores:
ROI: 526 all out (S Raina 134, M Vijay 116; A Chavan 3-56, A Nayar 2-70)
Mumbai: 155-2 (W Jaffer 80, A Rahane 55*; S Sreesanth 1-33, I Pandey 1-33)