Delhi pacer Divij Mehra, who claimed 5-30 when they defeated Mumbai at home last time in the 2022-23 season, came up trumps again, taking 5-64 to bowl out the 42-time champs for 317 in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group ‘D’ encounter on Saturday. Thereafter, Delhi captain Ayush Doseja (62 not out, 6×4) and Vaibhav Kandpal (61, 7×4) helped the visitors post 206-4 in their second innings, taking a 110-run lead at stumps on Day Three at the MCA-BKC ground.
Mehra, 23, who was struggling with an injury — spur in the heel of his landing foot — and playing only his second match of the season, revealed that Test pacer Ishant Sharma inspired his comeback. “I was injured after that fifer against Mumbai [in 2022-23], so it felt very good to have contributed [again]. I spent a lot of time with Ishant bhaiya in the Vijay Hazare Trophy [in December and January]. He has helped in setting my routine and the areas I have to work on before the next season. He has told me about the kind of training I have to do and what my schedule will be like as a fast bowler,” Mehra told reporters after the day’s play on Saturday.
“Ishant bhaiya spoke sternly to me after one match, saying, ‘dekh bhai itne se nahi chalega [this isn’t enough].’ He made me realise the things I was not able to do by myself,” Mehra added. Delhi’s pair of Doseja-Kandpal did well to stitch a 106-run fourth-wicket stand as the visitors fought back. Earlier, when Mumbai resumed their first innings on the overnight score of 266-5, they added 51 to finish at 317 all out. Friday’s cebturion Siddhesh Lad (103) managed to add just one run before he was clean bowled by pacer Money Grewal (3-74).
