Siddhesh Lad Creates History, Joins Sachin Tendulkar In Elite Ranji Trophy List

Star Mumbai batter Siddhesh Lad on Friday joined Rusi Modi and batting legend Sachin Tendulkar in an elite list featuring batters to have scored five or more hundreds in a single Ranji Trophy season, as he leads Mumbai’s charge against Delhi in the second leg of the domestic tournament.

Only 26 batters have struck five or more hundreds in a single Ranji Trophy season across the tournament’s nine-decade history and just two have achieved the feat while wearing Mumbai’s Lions crest.

On Friday, Lad entered that elite club, adding his name alongside Modi (1944-45) and Tendulkar (1994-95).

Lad smacked 102* (178 balls, 12 fours) to record his fourth successive hundred in the Ranji Trophy as Mumbai reached 266/5.

Lad found solid support in Suved Parkar

(53*), with the pair building an unbroken 130-run partnership for the sixth wicket to wrest back control for Mumbai after Delhi, who had posted 221 batting first, made early inroads with regular strikes.

Lad said that he doesn’t look too far ahead, even though his goal remains to play for India.

“It has always been my ultimate goal to play for the country. But right now, I am just trying to do my job. My first goal is to win the Ranji Trophy over Mumbai, since I have come back from some other state and MCA has shown faith in me,” Lad said while speaking to the media at the end of the day’s play.

After representing Goa in the 2022-23 season, he returned to Mumbai last year. With his father, Dinesh Lad, having coached multiple Indian players, including Rohit Sharma, Siddhesh said that he has always viewed it as a privilege rather than pressure.

“It was always a privilege for me. I see it that way. Dad never personally pressurised me, even though the people outside wanted to see it,” Siddhesh said.

At the end of the day’s play, Mumbai lead by 45 runs.