Amol is back, this time in attack mode

Since breaking into reckoning with a world record 260 on his first class debut a decade ago, Amol Muzumdar has endured a long wait. A string...

Since breaking into reckoning with a world record 260 on his first class debut a decade ago, Amol Muzumdar has endured a long wait. A string of poor scores and a brush with indiscipline heightened his miseries, but he eventually broke through and is now back to what he does best: scoring runs by the bucketful.

At the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, the 30-year-old scored 131 (206b, 279m, 13×4, 1×6) to increase Mumbai’s domination over Gujarat. In the event, Mumbai finished their first innings on 467, 235 runs ahead of Gujarat.

To watch Muzumdar — normally a grafter — switch to attack mode this morning was a revelation. Lofted shots and little dances down the track saw him log his 15th Ranji century. And of the 131 runs that Mumbai added in the morning session, 75 came off Muzumdar’s bat.

‘‘It was just instinctive,’’ he said later.

The thought of going for a double ton did cross his mind: ‘‘I didn’t want to give it away. Everything was in place (for a double ton). But a lazy flick down the leg-side saw wicketkeeper Nilesh Modi take a smart catch to end Muzumdar’s vigil.

Police personnel seen to control the situation during a massive protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)

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