MUMBAI: Roaring back into form and serving a strong notice to the new national selection committee for a recall ahead of the upcoming home series against New Zealand and Australia, a rampaging, fired-up Prithvi Shaw slammed a record-breaking 379 off just 382 balls-the second-highest individual score in the history of the Ranji Trophy- against a hapless Assam on Wednesday at the Amingaon Cricket Ground in Guwahati.
Bhausaheb Nimbalkar, who scored an unbeaten 443 for Maharashtra against Kathiawar back in December 1948, still holds the record for the highest Ranji Trophy score and the highest first-class score by an Indian batsman. Shaw’s 379 is now the next-best in both the lists.
Continuing to make merry after resuming on his overnight score of 240, the 23-year-old dashing opener went on to score his maiden triple century in first-class cricket, and then broke the record of former Indian batsman-turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar-who had scored 377- to register the highest score by a Mumbai batsman in the Ranji Trophy.
On Wednesday, Shaw became the ninth batsman to score 350-plus in a Ranji Trophy innings, going past Swapnil Gugale (351*), Cheteshwar Pujara (352), VVS Laxman (353), Samit Gohel (359*), MV Sridhar (366) and Manjrekar (377).
However, he missed out on a rare chance to score 400 as he finally fell lbw to the leg-spinner Riyan Parag in the last over before lunch.
It ended a marathon 401-run partnership he enjoyed with Mumbai skipper Ajinkya Rahane for the third wicket. Shaw’s contribution was 262 in the stand.
Shaw is now the only Indian apart from Rohit Sharma and Virender Sehwag to have scored a century in T20s, a double hundred in List A cricket, and a 300 in first-class cricket.
The 23-year-old galloped to his first triple century in domestic cricket from just 326 balls, and then kept breaking numerous other batting records.
The Mumbaikar, who had logged scores of 13, 6, 19, 4, 68, 35, and 15 in the first four matches of the 2022-23 season of the Ranji Trophy, thus bounced back into form in grand style.
1/10:Prithvi Shaw smashes 2nd-highest individual score in Ranji Trophy history
2/10:Shaw smashes 379
<p>Prithvi Shaw smashed the second-highest individual score in Ranji Trophy history with his 379-run knock on Wednesday.</p>
3/10:Shaw slams triple ton against Assam
<p>Shaw achieved the feat as he slammed a dominating maiden triple hundred during his team's Ranji Trophy match against Assam on Day 2 in Guwahati.</p>
4/10:Shaw hits 379 off 383 balls
<p>Resuming from the overnight score of 240, Shaw smashed 379 off 383 deliveries in a marathon knock decorated with 49 fours and six maximums.</p>
5/10:Bhausaheb Nimbalkar sits right at the top
<p>Bhausaheb Nimbalkar's unbeaten 443, which he scored in December 1948, continues to be the highest Ranji Trophy score and the highest first-class score by an Indian batter.</p>
6/10:Shaw ninth Indian batter to score 350 plus score in Ranji
<p>Shaw became the ninth Indian batter to score 350 plus score in the Ranji innings after Swapnil Gugale (351*), Cheteshwar Pujara (352), VVS Laxman (353), Samit Gohel (359*), Vijay Merchant (359*), MV Sridhar (366) and Sanjay Manjrekar (377).</p>
7/10:Shaw surpasses Manjrekar
<p>Shaw surpassed former Indian batter Manjrekar to become the highest individual scorer for Mumbai.</p>
8/10:377 - Manjrekar's record score
<p>Manjrekar had the highest individual score record of 377 runs against Hyderabad in the 1990-91 season.</p>
9/10:Shaw misses 400-run mark
<p>However, Shaw missed out on reaching the 400-run mark as he fell lbw to the leg-spinner Riyan Parag in the last over before lunch on Day 2.</p>
10/10:Shaw-Rahane put on 401-run partnership
<p>It ended a marathon 401-run partnership he enjoyed with Mumbai skipper Ajinkya Rahane for the third wicket. Shaw’s contribution was 262 in the stand.</p>Prithvi has played five Tests, six ODIs and one T20I, and last played for India in July 2021, during a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. He played the last of his five Tests against Australia on December 17–19, 2020, in Adelaide.
His name is now sure to be discussed when the BCCI's all-new selection committee sits down to pick the Indian squad for the upcoming white-ball series against New Zealand and Test series against Australia.
