Mumbai all-rounder Shams Mulani aims to replicate success of 2021-22 season

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 13 (ANI): Mumbai all-rounder Shams Mulani is aiming to replicate his performance of domestic cricket in 2021-22 in the ongoing season, which started with Duleep Trophy in early September.
Mulani had an amazing 2021-22 season with both bat and ball. He was the top wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy, with 45 scalps under his belt. He also had a brilliant Ranji with the bat, scoring 321 in nine innings at an average of 40.12, with five half-centuries. Mulani also won the under-25 CK Nayadu Trophy for Mumbai.
In the ongoing 2022-23 season during Duleep Trophy, Mulaniu could have got his first-class hundred, but fell short of it by three runs against North East Zone. He does not want to rest on his laurels from last season and aims to replicate his great performances this time around too.
"I would have been happier if I would have gotten a hundred. But it is a learning process for me as well - as to how to play when you are in the nineties - and this game was a good practice game for us because obviously they had a good bowling attack," ESPNCricinfo quoted Mulani as saying after his team West Zone drew with North East Zone.
"And just because the wicket was not helping much does not mean they did not bowl well. The batters came in and said: 'They were on the money and they were bowling well'. Going into the season, it is a good start, and hopefully, this continues - the good form I have with bat and ball. I'll try to repeat what I did last year," he added.
Mulani toiled hard for wickets for 26 overs, but could get only one on a Chepauk track that did not provide any help to his spin.
The all-rounder is ready to bowl long spells for his team.
"Last season was phenomenal for me. But that is in the past now, and I want to take a fresh start because the wickets are going to be different and I need to bowl on tough tracks where the ball is not spinning that much and not doing much," said the bowler.
"I need to chip in with the wickets [on those pitches] as well. Yes, last season was very good for me and everyone was saying, 'Wow, well done!', but I'm not looking forward to the new season [in terms of wickets only]. Going forward, I'm working on my bowling - on how to bowl long spells with the same amount of revolutions. Let's see if that comes off," he added.
Bowling with Kookaburra ball made it difficult for bowlers in the first round of the Duleep Trophy, both in Chennai and Puducherry. It seamed sharply initially but as the game went on, it got softer and favoured the batters more. Even Mulani was using the ball for the first time and admitted it was difficult to grip it.
"I think it is my first time playing with the Kookaburra ball, and I had a similar experience to what he [North-East spinner Ankur Malik] had. After 20-25 overs, the seam goes away - it's not like the SG ball - and there was not much help from the wicket. It's quite difficult to grip as well and try to bowl in good areas with good amount of revolutions," he said.
But he said that going into semis and final, his side has to get used to it and it was a good learning process for him as to how he should bowl and what pace he should be following while bowling with a Kookaburra ball.
Mulani has also gained some exposure outside of Mumbai's cricketing circles. Last year, he was the skipper of the Mumbai side that went on a white-ball tour to Oman and emerged as the second-highest taker with nine scalps in seven games at a great economy rate of 4.78.
Ahead of this domestic season, he was also a part of the Mumbai Indians' contingent that went to the UK. It also included youngsters like Dewald Brevis and Tilak Varma.
"Oh, it was amazing. Different conditions, different wickets that offered more bounce. I needed to get used to what length I needed to bowl on that track. It was a very good experience, and we enjoyed it a lot," said Mulani about his experiences.
West Zone will play their next game in September, with semi-final of the Duleep Trophy scheduled against Central Zone. (ANI)