While Iyer shook off jetlag, Lad scored his first ton as captain in the Ranji Trophy against Baroda.
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Shreyas Iyer pummeled the bowling attack and dwarfed captain Siddhesh Lad's landmark innings as the two headlined Mumbai's drawn Elite Group A match against Baroda in the Ranji Trophy at the Wankhede Stadium.
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Having returned from New Zealand after playing for India A on Thursday, Iyer showed no hesitation to play in his first Ranji game of the season. Put into bat first on Friday, he walked out to the middle at 28/2 with the NaMo Bandra Blasters Icon Player from T20 Mumbai starting his assault from the get go.
Admittedly fatigued and a bit jetlagged due to travelling for tours over the last few months, Iyer delivered nevertheless marking his century in just 86 balls and went on to score 178 off just 139 deliveries at an astonishing strike rate of 128.05.
"When I came I was mentally tired but I told myself now that I have come, I shouldn't waste this chance," Iyer told the Indian Express. "I wanted to do my best and decided to play positive depending upon the situation.
"The wicket was seaming and we lost early wickets and I saw both the batsmen getting out playing close to the body. It was not working that way. I decided to be positive. I changed my stance a bit to the medium-pacers and was in no mood to leave the bouncers."
His innings was laced with 17 fours and 11 sixes, which included three maximums off four balls bowled by left arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt and three successive sixes off veteran offie Yusuf Pathan.
Although brisk, Lad's innings paled in comparison as the skipper crafted 130 in 173 balls with 12 fours and two sixes. It took the Shivaji Park Lions batsman just 131 balls to reach his ton, his first as Mumbai captain and his first of the season after having fallen in the 90s against Railways and Maharashtra.
The two put on 283 for the third wicket in just 271 balls with their partnership spanning more than four hours across two sessions.
Best by Dias, Ranjane and Kerkar
Scored at five an over, Mumbai eventually folded for 465 with quick knocks from Shubham Ranjane's 42 (56) and Shivam Dubey's (37 off 45) towards the end helping the scoring rate.
Baroda mustered up 436 in response, with Royston Dias picking a First Class career-best 4/99 that included the scalps of centurions Vishnu Solanki and Aditya Waghmode, and Hardik Pandya. Ranjane also picked up a career-best, his 3/62 included the wicket of Pathan.
In the second innings, Mumbai batted out a draw ending at 307/7. Dubey top-scored by smashing 76 runs off just 60 balls, pillared by 7 sixes and 3 fours, Ranjane put up 64 and Eknath Kerkar recorded his maiden First Class fifty with 56 not out. Iyer put on 30 runs in just 45 balls and was eventually named Man of the Match.
