Ranji Trophy: Five Vidarbha players who starred in second title victory

Here’s a look at five players who starred for Vidarbha in this Ranji Trophy season.

Vidarbha clinched their second consecutive title after defeating Saurashtra in the final in Nagpur on Thursday. The home team were in a spot of bother when they were bundled for 200 runs in the second innings, but Aditya Sarwate’s six-wicket haul ensured that Vidarbha win the match by 78 runs.

File image of Wasim Jaffer.(PTI)

Vishvaraj Jadeja was the top scorer for Saurashtra with 52 runs, while all the other batsmen failed to cross the 20-run mark.

Here’s a look at five players who starred for Vidarbha in this Ranji Trophy season.

Wasim Jaffer

Wasim Jaffer continued to show his class in the Ranji Trophy by finishing as the second highest scorer in the season. The veteran batsman scored 1037 runs in 11 matches at an average of 69.13. He scored four centuries and two half-centuries which included a highest score of 206. Jaffer has played over 250 first-class matches, but he is still hungry to score runs and be part of Ranji Trophy winning teams.

Faiz Fazal

Faiz Fazal played a crucial role with the bat in Vidarbha’s first Ranji title win last season and even in this season the captain has made important contributions. The opening batsman scored 752 runs in 11 matches at an average of 50.13. He notched three centuries and two half-centuries which included a highest score of 151 runs. Fazal top scored for Vidarbha with 75 runs in the semi-final against Kerala when all the other batsmen failed around him.

Akshay Wadkar

Akshay Wadkar was the third highest contributor with the bat for Vidarbha in this season. He scored 725 runs in 11 matches at an average of 60.41. He recorded a highest score of 144 with three centuries and two half-centuries in the season. Wadkar starred with the gloves as well, effecting 27 dismissals. He took 21 catches and carried out 6 stumpings.

Aditya Sarwate

Aditya Sarwate finished as the third highest wicket-taker with 55 wickets in 11 matches. He recorded a bowling average of 19.67 and an economy rate of 2.61. The left-arm spinner took six five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul in the season. Sarwate saved his best performance for the final. He returned with figures of 11/157. He also scored 49 runs in the second innings of the final to propel Vidarbha’s lead to 205 runs.

Akshay Wakhare

Vidarbha banked on their spinners to come up with the goods in this season. Their right-arm spinner Akshay Wakhare took 34 wickets in 10 matches. He recorded an average of 29.17 and an economy rate of 2.73. He picked up two five-wicket hauls in the season. Wakhare starred in the final as well, returning with figures of 7/117.