Dashing middle-order batsman, Rohit Sharma scored an unbeaten century as Mumbai recuperated from a wretched start to reach a respectable 297 for six at close on an eagerly competitive opening day of the Ranji Trophy cricket final against Uttar Pradesh.

Sharma led the fight back with a risky unbeaten 113 and the 207 runs he shared with Abhishek Nayar (99) aided Mumbai survive Bhuvneshwar Kumar's five-wicket haul.

Uttar Pradesh captain Mohammad Kaif's decision to insert Mumbai on a greenish track paid rich dividends with pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar dealing a triple strike, including the prized scalp of Sachin Tendulkar (0), to reduce the Wasim Jaffer-led side to 55 for four inside 20 overs.

Poor fielding soon came to hurt UP as Kaif, otherwise the safest pair of hands, twice dropped Rohit in the slips to allow Mumbai slacken the noose and regain much of the lost ground.

Rohit and Ajit Agarkar (21) were in the middle at stumps.

Rohit's unbeaten 206-ball knock, including 18 fours, may not count among his best but it came just when the team needed it most.

Nayar looked more solid of the duo and the left-hander hit 13 fours and a six en route to a 190-ball 99 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium at Uppal near here.

Bhuvneshwar finished with a figure of five for 64.

Put into bat, Mumbai found their skipper back in the hut in the sixth over when Bhuvneshwar's inswinger trapped Jaffer (1) plumb in front of the stumps. The biggest blow was dealt in the next over when Bhuvneshwar brought one back into Tendulkar and a desperate Shivkant Shukla dived to pocket the ball which took the bat-pad route before lobbing up. It was Tendulkar's maiden duck in first class cricket.

Scores in brief: Mumbai: 1st innings: 297/6 in 90 overs, R Sharma 113*, A Nayar 99, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 5/64.