A firm stance and conventional batting technique are still seen as vital and are preferred to mindless slogging in today's fast-paced cricket when the trend demands that batters be explosive and pound bowlers to all parts of the ground. Test cricket is the finest way to gauge a player's tenacity and grit at the international level, and the Ranji Trophy, an Indian first-class cricket competition, gives players the chance to develop the skills necessary for the game's longest format. Let us look at the highest individual run-scorers in Ranji cricket.
1. Bhausaheb Nimbalkar (Maharashtra) – 443*
The most recognizable score in Indian First Class Cricket history is this one. In Poona, Maharashtra and Kathiawar played in the first round of the Ranji Trophy. As Bhausaheb Nimbalkar had a score of 443*, nine runs short of both the then-record of 452 set by Sir Don Bradman and the record of 912 established by Holkars nine years earlier, Thakore sahib did not want the Kathiawar team's name to appear in record books for the wrong reasons. Nimbalkar eventually got stuck on 443*, only 9 runs short of a world record. Sir Don sent him a letter commending him for his efforts. By forfeit, Maharashtra was given the victory.
2. Sanjay Manjrekar (Bombay) – 377
Sanjay Manjrekar's 377 versus Hyderabad is the second-highest total in Ranji Trophy history and the best score by a Mumbai batsman. Mumbai batted first and recorded a score of 855/6. Manjrekar's 377 off just 473 balls, which included 50 fours and 5 sixes, is well appreciated. Vinod Kambli (121) and Dilip Vengsarkar (121) provided him with strong support (126). Hyderabad responded elegantly with 498 and MV. Swaroop scored 123, and Sridhar scored 184. From 1987 through 1996, Sanjay Manjrekar participated in 37 tests for India.
3. MV Sridhar (Hyderabad) – 366
Bombay chose to bat first when they faced Maharashtra at Brabourne Stadium. Rusi Modi hit 168, and Vijay Merchant's 359* with 31 fours helped Bombay to 735 all out. Maharashtra retaliated with 298 but the match was drawn due to time constraints. In Ranji’s history, Vijay Merchant's 359* is the fourth-highest score.
4. Vijay Merchant (Bombay) – 359*
Bombay chose to bat first when they faced Maharashtra at Brabourne Stadium. Rusi Modi hit 168, and Vijay Merchant's 359* with 31 fours helped Bombay to 735 all out. Maharashtra retaliated with 298 but the match was drawn due to time constraints. In Ranji’s history, Vijay Merchant's 359* is the fourth-highest score.
5. VVS Laxman (Hyderabad) – 353
Against Karnataka, Laxman amassed 353 runs in 560 balls, including 52 fours and 2 sixes. Captain Mohd. Azharuddin's century helped Hyderabad score 711/8 in the last frame (123). The game ended in a draw after Karnataka's response of 557 runs. In the 1997–98 season, Laxman also surpassed the 300-point mark against Bihar.
6. Cheteshwar Pujara (Saurashtra) – 352
In Rajkot's Ranji Trophy quarterfinal of 2012–13, Saurashtra faced Karnataka. Saurashtra defeated Karnataka with 396 runs after scoring 469 runs in their opening inning. After that, Saurashtra reached 718/9 in their second innings, with Cheteshwar Pujara scoring 352 runs in 427 balls, with 49 fours and 1 six. Because to their advantage after the first innings, Saurashtra made it to the semifinals.
7. Sunil Gavaskar (Mumbai) – 340
In 1981–1982, against Bengal, the tiny maestro recorded his lone triple century in First Class cricket. Gavaskar scored 340 runs with 48 fours and 2 sixes, and he and Ghulam Parkar shared an opening partnership of 421 runs (156). Bengal scored 252 runs, but Mumbai countered with 652/6 dec. Bombay defeated Bengal for 219 in the second inning to win the game by innings and 181 runs.
8. Lokesh Rahul (Karnataka) – 337
Lokesh Rahul led the Karnataka Ranji team in individual scoring with a magnificent 337, including 47 boundaries and 4 sixes. Rahul led Karnataka to a 719/9 lead after Abrar Kazi (117) also scored a century. The first innings of Uttar Pradesh were bowled out for 220 runs.
9. Ravindra Jadeja (Saurashtra) – 331
Ravindra Jadeja, an all-arounder from India, is the first Indian and the eighth man in first-class cricket history to record three scores or more. In the 2012–13 Ranji season, Jadeja set this record by scoring 331 against Railways, his third triple-century. Jadeja scored 331 runs while playing on his home field in Rajkot, including 29 fours and 9 sixes. His second triple-hundred in the same season was this one. Railways scored 335 runs in response to Saurashtra's 576 runs, resulting in a tie.
10. Kedar Jadhav (Maharashtra) – 327
Kedar Jadhav, who represents Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy, recently faced Sri Lanka in Ranchi. Jadhav scored 327 points against Uttar Pradesh during the 2012–13 Ranji Trophy season. He hit two sixes and 54 fours in his knock. Tanmay Srivastava (179) and Captain Piyush Chawla each struck hundreds for U.P. in response to Maharashtra's massive 764/4 dec. score (176). Maharashtra took the lead after the first inning, and the game finished in a tie.
