Ranji Trophy: Siddhesh Lad slams fifth ton of the season to put Mumbai in command vs Delhi

MUMBAI: Enjoying the form of his life, Mumbai captain Siddhesh Lad slammed his fifth hundred of the season - fourth on the trot - crossing the 700-run milestone in a Ranji Trophy edition for the first time to continue his side’s domination over Delhi in their last league match of the Ranji Trophy at the MCA ground in BKC on Friday.

Replying to 221, Mumbai appeared shaky at one point when they were reduced to 136 for five as the in-form Sarfaraz Khan fell for 24 (27b, 4x4), but Lad, known as the ‘Crisis Man’ of the Mumbai team since ages, joined forces with Suved Parkar (53 not out, 111b, 4x4, 2x6) for an unbeaten 130-run stand in 211 balls for the sixth wicket. Buoyed by the duo’s stand, Mumbai finished the day at 266 for five, with a lead of 45 runs.

In prolific touch this season, Lad is now in august company of the legends of Mumbai cricket. He is only the third Mumbai batter to score five centuries in a single edition of the Ranji Trophy-Rusi Modi did it in 1944-45, and the legendary Sachin Tendulkar achieved the feat in the 1994-95 season. The 33-year-old, who is currently the fourth-highest run-getter of the Ranji Trophy this season, having scored 736 runs in seven matches at 105.14, will have a chance to break the record of these greats when Mumbai play their quarterfinal match at BKC from Feb 6.

Lad began the 2025-26 season with a century (116) against Jammu & Kashmir at Srinagar, followed by 80 versus Chhattisgarh at BKC. In his last four Ranji Trophy matches, he has slammed centuries against Himachal (127 at BKC), (170 against Pondicherry), 104 against Hyderabad and then 102 not out versus Delhi. In each outing, he has looked fluent and at ease while scoring runs, finding gaps at will. If Lad continues his rich vein of form in the knockouts, will the national selectors consider the middle-order batter for the Test series against Sri Lanka in Aug?

Even in the 2024-25 season, Lad, whose father-cum-coach Dinesh is the childhood coach of former India captain Rohit Sharma and allrounder Shardul Thakur, was in great flow, finishing as the top run-getter for Mumbai, having scored 602 runs in seven matches@60.20, with two hundreds and an equal number of fifties.

Indeed, it’s an unbelievable comeback by a man who was playing for Goa in the 2022-23 season, missed the 2023-24 season as he was served a ‘cooling off period’ period (mandatory for those who leave Mumbai and play for another state), and returned to play for Mumbai only in the last season.

Arriving at the crease in the morning when Mumbai were 18 for two, having lost nightwatchman Tushar Deshpande (1), Lad appeared at ease throughout his stay at the crease, starting off with a beautiful flick shot to mid-wicket for four off Bunty Grewal before cutting, pulling and driving Delhi’s seamers with authority, while sweeping and punching the spinners off the backfoot with ease.

Mumbai were 44 for three when they lost Akhil Herwadkar (12, was struck by a Money Grewal bouncer earlier in the day), but Lad calmed their nerves with a 63-run stand in 117 balls with Musheer Khan (57, 114b, 7x4). Much to Musheer’s misfortune, the youngster had to go back to the pavilion because of a howler by the umpire, as the batter was adjudged caught behind down the legside off debutant left-arm spinner Rahul Chaudhary despite there being daylight between bat and ball.

Coming off a double century in the last Ranji game against Hyderabad, Sarfaraz hit a few delightful boundaries during his brief stay at the crease, but it was Parkar who provided Lad with solid support and Mumbai the advantage of the when he pulled Chaudhary for a six to deep mid-wicket for a six.

Asked if he was hoping for a maiden India call-up sometime this year, Lad said he does not look too far ahead even though his goal remains to play for India. “It has always been my ultimate goal to play for the country. But right now, I am just trying to do my job. My first goal is to win the Ranji Trophy with Mumbai, since I have come back from some other state and MCA has shown faith in me,” he told reporters later.


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