On May 7, 1991, Haryana defeated Bombay by two runs at the Wankhede stadium to win their maiden Ranji Trophy title in one of the most dramatic finals ever.
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It was a final for the ages. There was tension. In the end, the match witnessed the ultimate heartbreak. It was a bitter clash in a fortress. May 7, 1991, witnessed one of the greatest Ranji Trophy finals in the history of the Indian domestic circuit. The match between Haryana and Bombay was a clash that involved legendary players from both sides. Bombay were the domestic giants, winning the Ranji Trophy a record 15 consecutive times from the mid-1950s till 1972. Although their power faded in the 80s, they were a force to reckon with.
Bombay reached the final and they were going to face Haryana at the Wankhede stadium. Beating Bombay at the Wankhede stadium was next to impossible in that period. It was like the sentinel that cannot be breached. The Bombay team also had legends like Lalchand Rajput, Sanjay Manjrekar, Chandrakant Pandit and Dileep Vengsarkar. In addition, they had future greats like Vinod Kambli and Sachin Tendulkar. Salil Ankola and Abey Kuruvilla, who would play for India in the future, were also there.
In the Haryana side, they were led by the brilliance of Kapil Dev and they had stars like Chetan Sharma, Ajay Jadeja in the side. Domestic stalwarts like Yogendra Bhandari, Rajesh Puri and Amarjeet Kaypee.
Deepak Sharma blasted 199 and was well-supported by a knock of 94 by Jadeja and 45 from Kaypee. Chetan Sharma smashed 98 and shared partnerships of 80 for the eighth wicket and 66 for the final wicket. That knock would prove to be crucial as the match progressed. Bombay did themselves no favors by dropping eight catches.
Against all expectations, Bombay conceded a 112-run lead with Sanjay Patil the top-scorer with 85. Rajput hit 74 while Tendulkar and Pandit chipped in with 40s. However, Bombay staged an epic comeback in the second innings. Ankola and Patil took three wickets apiece. Ajay Banerjee scored 60 as Haryana managed just 242. Bombay needed 355 runs to win the final.
Bombay started badly by losing three wickets for 34 runs. However, Tendulkar and Vengsarkar took the attack to the Haryana bowlers. Tendulkar already gave a glimpse of how he would emerge as one of the ultimate game-changers by blasting 96 off 75 balls. For that time, the knock was revolutionary. The 134-run stand put Bombay on track but Tendulkar missed out on his century. Kambli shared a 81-run stand with Venggsarkar, with the veteran nearing a century. However, Bombay lost four wickets for 31 runs.
Vengsarkar suffered a calf strain and required a runner as the match went on. That only boosted his aggression. He blasted three sixes and two fours in one over of Yogendra Bhandari that cost 26 runs. The Haryana fielders, egged by Kapil Dev, were maintaining their pressure. One straight drive by Vengksarkar was stopped brilliantly by Rajesh Puri. Kuruvilla was giving Vengsarkar great support and Bombay came within three runs of the target.
However, tragedy struck. In an attempt to take a single, there was a mix-up and Kuruvilla was run-out. Vengsarkar, who was at the non-striker’s end, wept as Bombay lost a heartbreaking final by two runs. This remains Haryana’s only Ranji Trophy triumph. But, it was possible through the brilliance of Kapil Dev’s leadership and the efforts of the Haryana team.
