A record 328-run stand for the second wicket between captain Wasim Jaffer and Ajinkya Rahane enabled Mumbai amass 366 for 1 on Day 1 of their Ranji Trophy Super League Group A match against Hyderabad at the MCA Ground in Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai, on Tuesday.
At stumps, Jaffer was unbeaten on 204, and giving him company was Rahane on 137.
The former faced 268 balls and struck 21 fours and two sixes, while the latter got his runs off 236 balls, inclusive of 11 hits to the fence and once over it.
Vinayak Mane, drafted in place of the inconsistent Sahil Kukreja, couldn't make the most of the opportunity and fell cheaply (5). His dismissal brought the above two to the crease and Hyderabad was not allowed another wicket during the course of the day.
Jaffer and Rahane scored at over four runs an over, occupied the crease for more than five hours and were still going strong when stumps were drawn.
Their unbroken partnership overtook the previous best for the same wicket -- 291 between Ghulam Parkar and Guru Gupte, against Tamil Nadu at Chepauk (1980-81).
It was imperative for the home team to begin on a proper note, having dropped points away at Rajkot (against Saurashtra) in their previous match and the unbeaten second-wicket stand ensured just that.
Hyderabad, without captain VVS Laxman and spinner Pragyan Ojha, paid the price for having a feeble bowling attack and, of course, the terrific form of the opposite batsmen.
Two minutes' silence was observed by players, match officials and spectators before the start of the match as a mark of respect for the Mumbai terror attack victims.
The match was originally scheduled to be held on November 29 but was postponed by three days following the terror strikes.
Scorecard
Mumbai (1st innings):
V Mane c Abhinav Kumar b Arjun 5
W Jaffer not out 204
A Rahane not out 137
Extras: (lb 10, w 6, nb 4) 20
Total: (1 wicket; 90 overs) 366 (4.06 runs per over)
To bat: AA Muzumdar, RG Sharma, SV Bahutule, VR Samant, UR Malvi, DS Kulkarni, AB Agarkar, RR Powar.
Fall of wickets: 1-38
Bowling: S Shoaib 9-1-36-0; M Arjun 18-0-67-1 (3nb); Ashwin Yadav 12-1-51-0 (1nb, 1w); A Lalith Mohan 23-1-99-0 (2w); S Quadri 12-0-53-0; T Suman 10-0-34-0; D Ravi Teja 6-1-16-0 (1w).
Hyderabad: A Yadav, Ravi Teja, T Suman, Rushi Raj, S Pai, Abhinav Kumar, S Quadri, S Shoaib, M Arjun, Ashwin Yadav, Lalith Mohan.