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The third round of the Ranji Trophy is in the books, and it was another crucial week for players looking to impress the national selectors. Some big names fired, while others faltered under pressure. Here's a breakdown of the hits and misses.
HIT: Priyanshu Moliya's Record-Breaking Triple Ton
The performance
of the round undoubtedly belongs to Baroda's Priyanshu Moliya. The 21-year-old played a marathon innings against Jammu and Kashmir, scoring an unbeaten 321. Coming in with his team in a spot of bother, Moliya showed immense concentration and skill to not only rescue the innings but to put his side in a commanding position, eventually reaching a mammoth total of 616. This incredible knock was the second-ever triple century for a Baroda batter in first-class history and made Moliya the seventh-youngest Indian to achieve the feat, joining a list that includes names like Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant. It was an innings that announced his arrival on the big stage in style.
HIT: Ayush Badoni's Unstoppable Form
Delhi's captain, Ayush Badoni, is in the form of his life. After scoring a double hundred in the previous round, he backed it up with another mammoth score against Jharkhand. Walking to the crease with Delhi in trouble at 181/5, Badoni launched a brilliant counter-attack, scoring an unbeaten 210. His stunning innings, which came from just 228 balls, included 19 fours and three sixes. He shared an unbeaten 334-run partnership with Sumit Mathur to take Delhi to a massive total of 515/5 declared. Two double centuries in consecutive matches is a rare feat and has surely put the national selectors on high alert.
HIT: Saransh Jain's 13-Wicket Haul
While batters often steal the headlines, Madhya Pradesh off-spinner Saransh Jain delivered a truly match-winning performance with the ball against Bihar. Jain was simply unplayable, claiming a remarkable 13 wickets in the match. He took 7/40 in the first innings to skittle Bihar for just 99. Not content with that, he followed it up with 6/49 in the second innings to finish with match figures of 13 for 89, guiding his team to a massive victory by an innings and 174 runs inside just two days. This incredible all-round bowling display also saw him cross the milestone of 200 first-class wickets.
MISS: Prithvi Shaw's Inconsistent Run
It was a frustrating round for Maharashtra's dynamic opener, Prithvi Shaw. Playing against Gujarat, Shaw was dismissed for a duck in the first innings, a major blow for his side. Known for his aggressive, match-winning style, this kind of inconsistency has been a recurring theme for the talented batter. While his potential is undeniable, failing to score in a crucial encounter is a definite miss for a player who is constantly on the fringes of the Indian national team and looking to make a strong, undeniable case for a comeback. A score of zero is a missed opportunity to build on previous good form.
MISS: Mayank Agarwal's Early Dismissal
Karnataka's captain Mayank Agarwal had a quiet outing against Tripura. The experienced India international was dismissed early in Karnataka's first innings, a setback for the batting powerhouse. In a round where several young batters made headlines with huge scores, a senior pro like Agarwal would have been looking to stamp his authority on the contest. For a player who has dominated domestic cricket in the past and is aiming to find his way back into the Test side, an early departure represents a significant miss. He will be looking to bounce back strongly in the next round of fixtures.
