Ranji Trophy records: A detailed guide

One of India’s oldest domestic cricket competitions, the Ranji Trophy is played between regional and state cricket associations of India. During its 88 years of rich history, as many as 19 teams have won the title, with Mumbai being the most successful side having lifted the trophy 41 times.

Since the inaugural edition of the Ranji Trophy in 1934/35 season, the competition has gone on to become an integral part of Indian cricket's DNA. In fact, Ranji Trophy is the only first-class tournament in the world to survive World War II.

“This is one tournament all of us look forward to,” Faiz Fazal, who led Vidarbha to successive title triumphs in 2017/18 and 2018/19 was quoted as saying by New India Express.

“Ask anyone... even those who are playing for the national team... nothing comes close to Ranji Trophy. As a batter, nothing tests you like the red-ball and there is a wholesome feel to it. 

“You will experience everything. The ups and downs... emotions, sacrifices... it tests every bit of it and at the end of a season, you are invariably wiser as a player and as a person,” Fazal added.

Ranji Trophy records

Highest team total: The record for the highest team total in Ranji Trophy belongs to Hyderabad. During the 1993/94 Ranji Trophy season, the Kanwaljit Singh-led Hyderabad side posted 944/6d with as many as two players scoring double centuries while a certain Maturi Sridhar hitting a 523-ball 366. The match was eventually drawn.

Lowest team total: Interestingly enough, even the record for the lowest team total in Ranji Trophy belongs to Hyderabad. In November 2010, Rajasthan rode on the back of Deepak Chahar’s 8/10 to dismiss Hyderabad for a paltry total of 21 runs. Not even a single batsman could reach the double figures.

Most runs: Former Vidarbha and Mumbai batter Wasim Jaffer has scored the most runs in Ranji Trophy history and by some miles. The former cricketer, whose domestic career spanned between 1996 to 2020, aggregated 12,038 runs in Ranji Trophy.

Highest individual score: Bhausaheb Babasaheb Nimbalkar’s knock of unbeaten 443 while playing for Maharashtra against Saurashtra during the 1948/49 Ranji Trophy season is the highest individual score in the tournament.

Most centuries: Not to anyone’s surprise, Wasin Jaffer has scored the most centuries in Ranji Trophy history. The former batter scored as many as 40 hundreds during his illustrious first-class career.

Most runs in a single season: India legend VVS Laxman has scored the most runs in a single Ranji Trophy season. During the 1999/00 campaign, the Test specialist amassed 1415 runs in a mere five innings at an excellent average of 108.84.

Most wickets: The record for most wickets in Ranji Trophy history belongs to former cricketer Rajinder Goel. The slow left-arm orthodox bowler scalped 637 wickets during his career that spanned between 1958-1985. During this time, Goel played for as many as four different teams in Patiala, Southern Punjab, Delhi and Haryana.

Best bowling figure: Former Bengal bowler Premangsu Chatterjee and Rajasthan pacer Pradeep Sunderam are the only players to have picked all 10 wickets in one innings of a Ranji Trophy match. The record for the best bowling figure, however, belongs to the former who ended with 10/20 against Assam during the 1956/57 season.

Most wickets in a single season: During the 2018/19 Ranji Trophy season, a certain Ashutosh Aman ended with 68 wickets in 14 innings, which is the record for most wickets in a single Ranji Trophy season.

Featured photo: AFP / Arun Sankar