In a riveting third-round clash between Saurashtra and Vidarbha at the VCA Stadium during the Ranji Trophy, the seasoned cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara showcased his batting prowess, crossing the remarkable milestone of 20,000 runs in first-class cricket while achieving an impressive half-century. At the age of 35, renowned for his steadfast presence at the crease, Pujara compiled a solid innings of 66 runs off 137 deliveries. Unfortunately, his time at the crease was cut short when he was dismissed leg before wicket by Harsh Dubey, following his contribution of 43 runs in the first innings.
Here is a list of Indian batters with 20,000 runs in First-Class cricket:
- Sunil Gavaskar: 25,834
- Sachin Tendulkar: 25,396
- Rahul Dravid: 23,794
- Cheteshwar Pujara: 20,013
In a previous encounter against Jharkhand, Pujara's relentless pursuit of runs was on full display as he secured his 17th double-century in first-class cricket. His unbeaten knock of 243 off 356 balls played a pivotal role in Saurashtra's commanding declaration at 578/4, establishing a substantial lead over Jharkhand's 142 in the first innings. Pujara's performance, marked by his adept handling of spinners and precision in shot execution, featured an impressive 30 boundaries, showcasing his exceptional skill with the bat.
This recent double century in the Ranji Trophy marks not only Pujara's eighth in the tournament but also his 17th in first-class cricket, placing him in the company of cricket legends like Herbert Sutcliffe and Mark Ramprakash. Only iconic figures such as Don Bradman, Wally Hammond, and Patsy Hendren have achieved more double centuries than him in this format. Despite not featuring in India's Test squad since the 2023 World Test Championship final, Pujara has consistently demonstrated his batting prowess in domestic cricket.
With Shubman Gill currently holding the No. 3 position for India in Tests, Pujara's exceptional performance could potentially rekindle his prospects of an international comeback. As India gears up for the challenging 5-match Test series against England, Pujara's timely resurgence in domestic cricket adds an intriguing dimension to the team's composition. His wealth of experience and recent form make him a compelling candidate for consideration, bringing valuable depth to the Indian batting lineup in the upcoming series.
On the other hand, Narayan Jagadeesan displayed his batting prowess, scoring an unbeaten 245 runs and steering the Tamil Nadu team to an impressive first innings total of 489 against Railways in the Ranji Trophy Group C fixture on the second day of the match. Starting the day at 286 for five, Jagadeesan achieved his maiden first-class double century, receiving valuable support from his teammates to add another 45 runs before the innings concluded. In response, Railways faced a formidable challenge, with Akash Pandey claiming three wickets and restricting them to 126 for two by the end of the day. Pratham Singh played a crucial role, contributing an unbeaten 76. Railways' openers, Shivam Chaudhary (16) and Vivek Singh (11), fell prey to Sandeep Warrier's bowling.
In another Group C clash held in Mysore, Karnataka showcased a strong performance with centuries from Mayank Agarwal (114) and Devdutt Padikkal (101), reaching a total of 251 for 4 at the close of Day 2. They trailed by 70 runs against Goa, who saw Darshan Misal and Mohit Redkar each taking two wickets. Earlier, Karnataka successfully dismissed Goa for 321, with Arjun Tendulkar contributing 53 runs and Snehal Kauthankar top-scoring with 83. Karnataka's bowling trio of Vijaykumar Vyshak, M Venkatesh, and Rohit Kumar claimed three wickets each.
In the Group C encounter in Chandigarh, Gujarat concluded Day 2 at 86 for two against Chandigarh. The play on the opening day was disrupted by bad light, and Chandigarh chose to field first, making a significant impact by reducing Gujarat to 19 for two. Jagjit Singh dismissed both openers, Priyank Panchal and Urvil Patel.
Meanwhile, in Mohali's Group C match, Punjab faced a challenging situation, struggling to reach 78 for seven against Tripura after poor visibility led to the suspension of play on Day 1. Opting to field first, Tripura's decision proved effective as only Prabhsimran Singh (21) and Nehal Wadhera (33) managed to reach double figures for Punjab. Manisankar Murasingh and Rana Dutta from Tripura captured two wickets each.
Here are the brief scores:
1. In Coimbatore: Tamil Nadu 489 (Narayan Jagadeesan 245, Boopathi Kumar 67; Sai Kishore 59; Akash Pandey 3/102) leads Railways 126-2 (Pratham Singh 76 batting; Sandeep Warrier 2/35) by 363 runs.
2. In Mysore: Goa 321 (Snehal Kauthankar 83, Arjun Tendulkar 52, Heramb Parab 53; Vijaykumar Vyshak 3/76, M Venkatesh 3/41, Rohit Kumar 3/90) leads Karnataka 251-4 (Mayank Agarwal 114, Devdutt Padikkal 101; Mohit Redkar 2/65) by 70 runs.
3. In Chandigarh: Gujarat 86-2 (Sunpreetsingh Bagga 39; Jagjit Singh 2/27) vs Chandigarh.
4. In Mohali: Punjab 78-7 (Nehal Wadhera 33; Manisankar Murasingh 2/11) vs Tripura.
As the Ranji Trophy unfolds, these matches promise to be enthralling contests, showcasing both individual brilliance and team performances on the cricketing stage.
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