CSK Pacer Breaks 78-Year-Old Record With His 123-Run Knock For Mumbai Against Baroda In Ranji Trophy QF

tushar deshpande breaks 78-year-old record with his 123-run knock for mumbai against baroda in ranji trophy quarterfinal

Chennai Super Kings star pacer Tushar Deshpande was on fire for Mumbai on Tuesday (February 27) during their Ranji Trophy 2024 quarterfinal match against Baroda. In the match, which is currently underway at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC in Mumbai, 28-year-old Deshpande scored 123 runs from 129 balls after coming out to bat at No. 11 for the 41-time Ranji Trophy champions.

He added 232 runs for the 10th wicket with Tanush Kotian (120 runs from 129 balls) to help Mumbai post a total of 569 runs in the 2nd inning and set up a target of 606 runs for Baroda to win on the final day and qualify for the semifinals.

During his stay at the crease, Deshpande, who has also played for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL, hammered 10 fours and 8 sixes. By scoring 123 runs, the left-handed batter broke a 78-year-old record set by Shute Banerjee and became the highest scorer for India in first-class cricket as the No. 11 batter. During the Surrey vs. Indians match in 1946, Banerjee, who played in one Test for India, scored 121 runs as the No. 11 batsman.

Against Baroda in Mumbai, Kotian came out to bat at No. 10 for Mumbai, and Deshpande was the No. 11 batter. By scoring centuries, the duo became only the second Indian pair after Chandu Sarwate and Shute Banerjee to record First-Class centuries as No. 10 and No. 11 in the same innings. Sarwate and Banerjee achieved the feat in 1946, during the Surrey vs Indians match at the Oval.

During their stay at the crease, Kotian and Deshpande added 232 runs for the last wicket. It was only the third time an Indian pair managed to add 200+ runs for the last wicket. The duo was, however, unlucky to miss out on the Ranji Trophy record of highest partnership for the last wicket by one run.

During the 1991–92 Ranji Trophy semifinal match between Bombay and Delhi at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Delhi batters Ajay Sharma and Maninder Singh added 233 runs for the 10th wicket. In that game, Ajay remained unbeaten on 259, whereas Maninder scored 78 runs.