Tushar Deshpande and Tanush Kotian sent records tumbling on Tuesday as they become the first no.10 and no.11 pairing in the history of the Ranji Trophy, and just the second in recorded history of first class cricket, to hit individual centuries in the same innings. Deshpande and Kotian, who were the last two batters in the Mumbai lineup against Baroda in the quarter-final of the Ranji Trophy, ended up scoring a whopping 232 runs for the last wicket with both batters scoring individual centuries.
The partnership ended when Deshpande was dismissed on 123 off 129 balls. Kotian at the other end finished unbeaten on 120 off 129 balls. The score 337/9 when the pair came together and Mumbai ended up piling 569 runs at the end of the partnership. Their partnership has practically batted Baroda out of the game, with Mumbai setting them a target of 606 to chase on the final day.
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Kotian reached his century first in 115 balls with nine fours and three sixes. Deshpande then got to the milestone in 112 deliveries, an innings comprising eight fours and six maximums, as both batters secured their maiden First-Class hundreds. The first pair to do so in a first class innings were also Indians. That was back in in 1946, when Chandu Sarwate and Shute Banerjee hit centuries batting at No.10 and No.11 while playing for the Indians against Surrey. It was one of many tour matches India played in their five-month tour of England in 1946.
This is also just the third time that an Indian pair has managed to put more than 200 runs for the last wicket. Deshpande's 123 is also the highest first class score by an Indian No.11 batter. It remains the third-highest No.11 stand by an Indian pair overall and the second highest in the history of the Ranji Trophy. Sarwate and Banjerjee's partnership had brought on 249 runs while Ajay Sharma and Maninder Singh had put up 233 runs against Bombay in the 1991-92 Ranji Trophy semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium.
{{/usCountry}}This is also just the third time that an Indian pair has managed to put more than 200 runs for the last wicket. Deshpande's 123 is also the highest first class score by an Indian No.11 batter. It remains the third-highest No.11 stand by an Indian pair overall and the second highest in the history of the Ranji Trophy. Sarwate and Banjerjee's partnership had brought on 249 runs while Ajay Sharma and Maninder Singh had put up 233 runs against Bombay in the 1991-92 Ranji Trophy semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium.
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