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Lad celebrates after scoring his fifth century of the season.
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI
Only 26 batters have scored five or more hundreds in a Ranji Trophy season in the tournament’s nine-decade history. Only two of them had managed it adorning Mumbai’s Lion’s crest. On Friday, Siddhesh Lad joined that rarefied club, etching his name alongside Rusi Modi (1944-45) and Sachin Tendulkar (1994-95).
For Lad, 33, the knock reflected maturity. “Now I feel I know my game. When to run, what to do. The maturity a batsman gets after 30, I am experiencing that now,” he said after finishing the second day of Mumbai’s Ranji game against Delhi unbeaten at 102.
“Earlier, I used to get 50s and 70s but couldn’t convert. Now the mindset is different.”
That clarity, Lad admitted, also comes from batting at a settled position. “I used to bat at six or seven and often with the tail. Now the number I have got is perfect,” he said, adding that spending time at the crease on a seamer-friendly surface was a conscious choice. “If I play out the fast bowlers, I know I’ll get runs off spin.”
While Lad’s innings anchored Mumbai, the day wasn’t without controversy. Musheer Khan was adjudged caught behind despite the ball appearing to brush his pads, a decision Lad chose not to dwell on.
“Umpires don’t have an easy job. A one-off decision can happen and it wasn’t easy with the construction noise in the vicinity,” he said.
Lad did, however, flag concerns over dusty conditions at the ground. “A lot of people were struggling. We have spoken to the managers — it’s important this is addressed (before the next week’s quarterfinal),” he said.
As for bigger ambitions, Lad remains grounded. “My ultimate goal has always been to play for the country,” he admitted. “But right now, my first goal is to win the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai. I am just trying to do my job.”
Having achieved his highest-ever tally in a Ranji Trophy season – 732 so far, eclipsing his previous best tally of 691 runs in 2015-16, that job is being done better than ever.
Published – January 30, 2026 07:11 pm IST
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Ranji Trophy | Role-clarity and maturity help Siddhesh Lad emulate Rusi Modi and Sachin Tendulkar
