Ranji Trophy: Hyderabad’s Tanmay Agarwal Creates World Record For Fastest Triple Hundred In First-Class Cricket
Hyderabad: Hyderabad opener Tanmay Agarwal surpassed South African cricketer Marco Marais for the fastest triple hundred in first-class cricket when he reached the milestone in just 147 balls on Friday. Agarwal’s record innings came against Arunachal Pradesh in a Ranji Trophy Plate Group match. Marais had achieved the feat in 191 balls during the game between Border and Western Province.
At a time when the Indian cricket team are piling on more pressure on the visiting Englishmen at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, miles away at ‘Gen-Next’ cricket ground on the outskirts of the city, Agarwal pummeled the opposition bowling attack at will.
In reply to Arunachal Pradesh’s 172 all out in the first innings, Hyderabad rode on Agarwal’s unbeaten 323 off 160 balls took Hyderabad to 529/1 in just 48 overs at the end of day’s play. Agarwal’s innings was studded with 33 fours and 21 sixes. He added 449 for the opening stand with Rahul Singh, who smashed 185 in just 105 balls.
For the record, the highest first-class score by an Indian was 443 by BB Nimbalkar, who hit it in a Ranji Trophy match between Maharashtra and Kathiawar. The world record for highest individual first-class score is 501 not out by the legendary Brian Lara for Warwickshire in an English county game against Durham.
For Arunachal Pradesh, Divyanshu Yadav (0/117 in 9 overs) and Techi Doria (0/101 in 9 overs) are two bowlers, who conceded more than hundred runs in less than 10 overs. “I feel good and grateful. After I completed 150, I just started hitting and luck was in my favour. I always found middle of the bat and balls went out. I just kept batting and kept hitting,” Agarwal told PTI after the day’s play.
Asked if he looking at Lara’s record, Agarwal denied. “No, I am not because I don’t know how much longer we will be batting on Saturday. As long as I bat tomorrow, I will try to play like I started the innings today. If it happens, it happens. I don’t have in mind that I have to achieve this or that,” he added.