Mulani, the left-arm spinner, was the star of the day, returning with a six-wicket haul in the first innings.  | Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini/The Hindu

In a bid to add batting depth, Mumbai entered the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A tie with only four specialist bowlers. And the bowling group delivered, putting Mumbai on the cusp of earning a bonus point against Odisha at the end of the penultimate day’s proceedings.

Chasing a mammoth total of 602 for four declared, Odisha’s last five wickets added 139 wickets to its overnight tally before folding up for 285 early on in the afternoon session. Captain Ajinkya Rahane then enforced the follow-on, with Mumbai requiring a bonus point – awarded for a win by an innings or 10 wickets.

The spin duo of Shams Mulani and Himanshu Singh delivered yet again, thereby reducing Odisha to 126 for five at Stumps.

Had Aasirwad Swain – promoted to No. 3 – not edged Himanshu to Rahane in the slips off the last ball of the day, Odisha may have hoped to bat the last day out. But the lower order will have to drop its guard down to make Mumbai bowlers sweat.

The quartet – especially the spin duo – had to toil on Friday. Of the 87.3 overs that were bowled during the third day’s play, Mulani and Himanshu shared 57.3 overs, picking nine of the 10 wickets that fell during the day.

Mulani, the left-arm spinner, was the star of the day, returning with a six-wicket haul in the first innings.

Despite being tonked for three sixes in two overs in the morning session, including the one that sailed over long-on to help Sandeep Pattnaik celebrate his fifth First Class hundred, Mulani made a strong comeback.

The moment Pattanaik played him onto the stumps, Mulani raced to his 15th five-wicket haul.

Had substitute wicketkeeper Sidhant Addhatrao – donning the gloves since Hardik Tamore was unwell – not attempted an ambitious dive and dropped a thick edge to deprive Thakur of a wicket early on, Mumbai would have hoped to wrap the game up with a day to spare.