Following Abhimanyu Easwaran’s impressive 191 and Dhruv Jurel’s solid 93, the Rest of India amassed 416 runs in their first innings.
With a 121-run lead, the Mumbai side began their second innings confidently, driven by some exquisite strokes from opener Prithvi Shaw.
Despite losing partners during the third session, Shaw scored a commendable 76 runs before Sarfaraz Khan and Tanush Kotian took over as play neared its end.
As the match progressed smoothly, Sarfaraz became part of an unusual incident involving an injury and an ‘obstructing the field’ appeal from the opposing team.
Saransh Jain, who had taken four crucial wickets, was in the midst of a lengthy spell when Tanush Kotian drove a loopy delivery towards deep cover. Prasidh Krishna raced in and made a throw to the keeper just as Sarfaraz, at the non-striker’s end, attempted a run and was struck in the back.
He collapsed in pain, prompting the physio to rush onto the field. Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan from the opposition playfully grabbed Sarfaraz’s chin while he lay on the ground.In the midst of this chaos, Rest of India captain Ruturaj chose to refer the incident to the TV umpire for an obstructing the field decision.
Umpire Abhijit Bengari reviewed the footage and ruled against Ruturaj’s appeal, concluding that Sarfaraz’s actions were unintentional and that he was in the crease when the ball struck him.
— Arijit Shanto (@ArijitShan18431) October 4, 2024
This decision did not sit well with Ruturaj, who engaged in a lengthy discussion with on-field umpire Saiyed Khalid. Meanwhile, Sarfaraz insisted his actions were not deliberate, further delaying the game and igniting discussions on social media about the incident.