Aman Khan's Spectacular Counter-Attack Delays Mumbai's Victory March
In a stunning display of power-hitting, Puducherry's Aman Khan played one of the most memorable innings of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season, scoring a blistering 86 runs off just 44 balls to delay Mumbai's inevitable victory on Day 3 of their encounter.
The Impossible Situation
Walking out to bat with his team in dire straits at 91/5 and facing a mammoth 498-run deficit after being forced to follow-on, Aman Khan found himself in a nothing-to-lose situation. Mumbai, having declared their first innings at a commanding 630/5, had bowled out Puducherry for just 132 in their first innings and appeared certain to wrap up the match by the third day itself.
The lanky batter transformed what seemed like a hopeless situation into an exhibition of pure entertainment, treating the sparse crowd to an incredible display of clean hitting that left the Mumbai bowlers frustrated and searching for answers.
The Six-Hitting Exhibition
The most remarkable aspect of Aman's innings was his systematic dismantling of Mumbai's spin duo - Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian. With Mumbai captain Shardul Thakur deploying aggressive fields featuring multiple close-in catchers, Aman seized the opportunity to use the long handle to devastating effect.
What followed was a masterclass in power-hitting, with the batter particularly targeting the leg-side arc from long-on to square leg. He took a special liking to Kotian's off-spin, hammering the bowler for four massive sixes on the leg side. In total, 45 of his 86 runs came specifically against Kotian's bowling, forcing Thakur to constantly rethink his strategies.
The innings included a preview of what was to come when Aman nailed Mulani for a six over long-off off the final ball before Lunch on Day 3. Little did anyone know that this was merely a teaser for the explosive afternoon session that awaited.
Partnership and Eventual Dismissal
Aman found excellent support from wicketkeeper-batter Siddhant Aadhhathrao, who played a composed innings to remain unbeaten on 51. Together, the pair put on a crucial 137-run partnership that not only entertained but also ensured the match would extend into the fourth day.
In a desperate move to break the partnership, Thakur introduced left-arm spinner Musheer Khan into the attack. The move proved successful as Musheer eventually breached Aman's defenses, bringing an end to a fantastic knock that had lasted 44 deliveries and included multiple boundaries and sixes.
Familiar Foes
Interestingly, Aman Khan last played a T20 match for Mumbai back in November 2022, and his innings served as a powerful reminder to his former team of his batting capabilities. Speaking after the day's play, Aman revealed that his familiarity with several Mumbai players from club cricket helped him prepare for the challenge.
"I have played with everyone in club cricket. Throughout the year, whenever I am free from the domestic season, I come and play club cricket. It's fun, it's challenging. I know what their work ethics are and how they prepare for the game. They play like champions. That is what we saw today. It was an amazing challenge for me to play against them," Aman explained.
Mumbai's Dominance and Early Strikes
Earlier in the match, Mumbai had established complete dominance after deciding to enforce the follow-on. Their pace duo of Shardul Thakur and Tushar Deshpande struck early blows, reducing Puducherry to 3/2 within the first five overs of their second innings.
Amid the early collapse, Mohit Kale showed resilience with a well-compiled 35 runs, displaying an impressive back-foot game despite his short frame. He put on 66 runs for the third wicket with Neyan Kangayan before falling to Mulani shortly after the tea break.
Match Situation
At stumps on Day 3, Puducherry reached 231/6 in 45 overs, still trailing by 267 runs. While Aman Khan's heroic effort has stretched the match into the fourth day, Mumbai remain strong favorites to secure victory with four wickets remaining and a substantial deficit still facing the Puducherry batsmen.
Brief Scores: Mumbai 630/5 decl. vs Puducherry 132 and 231/6 in 45 overs (Aman 86, Aadhhathrao 51 not out; Mulani 2/67) trail by 267 runs.
