By Paritosh Pramanik
Oct 28, 2025
ONE should learn how to grab opportunities from Aman Mokhade. It was a God-send opening for Mohkade after Danish Malewar got injured and could not recover in time for Vidarbha’s opening Ranji Trophy match against Nagaland in Bengaluru.
Mokhade made the most of that chance, hitting a career-best 183, which helped Vidarbha register an innings win.
In the second game here at Jamtha Stadium on Monday, the 24-year-old Mokhade slammed his second successive century (145*; 267b, 10x4, 2x6) to help Vidarbha inch closer to Jharkhand’s first innings total
of 232. Vidarbha were 239 for two needing another 94 runs to take the first innings lead when bad light once again stopped play.
Mokhade and Ravikumar Samarth (12) were occupying the crease.
Two century stands put Vidarbha in total control on the third day. Mokhade and Atharva Taide (31) put up 111 runs for the opening wicket and then the centurion opener and Dhruv Shorey (48) added 108 for the second wicket to put their side in a position of strength.
Mokhade’s century celebration was apt with satisfaction written on it. A gentle punch from his right fist and then arms raised with the bat, Mokhade looked a relieved and contented man.
Dhruv Shorey (48) watched his partner’s celebration from a handshaking distance and gave him his space to savour the moment. They then hugged each other and got back to business, piling misery on Jharkhand bowlers.
Vidarbha’s strong foundation was laid by Mokhade and Taide in the morning. There was no hurry as Vidarbha scored their first runs from the bat after 41 deliveries. Taide’s innings was totally unlike-Taide, playing almost a ‘dead bat’ which was the need of the hour while Mokhade took on the mettle scoring runs through gaps. Taide’s first runs came after 33 deliveries, a tap towards long-on for a couple.
Both the batters remained unseparated at lunch scoring 75 runs from 35 overs.
They continued in the same vein after the break and Taide started pushing the ball through gaps. But the partnership had a sad end when Taide went for an unwanted run only to get run out by an athletic Jharkhand captain Ishan Kishan who did not keep wickets after the first session.
Taide tapped a delivery towards mid-on region and went for a tight single but Kishan
took a diving direct hit to end the partnership.
Mokhade’s innings was concentration personified. He hit five boundaries from 118 deliveries for his fifty. His 100 came from 199 balls which had another five balls to the fence and two over it.
He swept, drove and at times played pull shots to build up his chanceless innings. Mokhade also used the pace of the ball to hit a four through covers in one of pacer Jatin Pandey’s overs which received a huge applause from the dressing room.
In the first session, the batter took spinner Anukul Roy for a special liking hitting him for three boundaries. After lunch, Roy had a long spell of 18 overs but without success.
Shorey, meanwhile, middled the ball well and hit four boundaries but was unlucky to get out, two runs short of his 23rd half century. A Sahil Raj’s delivery passed close to his body into part-time wicketkeeper Kumar Kushagra’s gloves but the umpire thought the batter had edged it and raised his finger.
Shorey shook his head in disbelief and showed that the ball had brushed his waist.
But the decision was made and he had to walk back.
Jharkhand, who were totally outplayed by Vidarbha, barring the two wickets they managed to take in the day, used six bowlers including Kishan who rolled his arms for a couple of overs.
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