Mumbai’s Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande become first No. 10-11 to hit centuries in a Ranji Trophy innings, equal First-Class record

Mumbai all-rounders Tanush Kotian and Tushar Deshpande scripted history as they became only the second No. 10 and No. 11 pair in First-Class history to record centuries in the same innings during the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Baroda.

Teaming up for the last wicket in Mumbai’s second essay at 337 for nine overnight, Kotian and Deshpande forged a gritty stand to help Mumbai bat Baroda out of the game, having earned a 36-run first-innings lead. Kotian reached his century first in 115 balls with nine fours and three sixes. Deshpande followed suit in 112 deliveries, an innings comprising eight fours and six maximums, as both batters secured their maiden First-Class hundreds.

The duo is just the second pair after Chandu Sarwate and Shute Banerjee to record First-Class centuries as No. 10 and No. 11 in the same innings. Sarwate and Banerjee achieved the feat in a Surrey v Indians match at the Oval in 1946.

The Kotian-Deshpande partnership is also only the third time an Indian pair has manage a 200-plus stand for the last wicket. While Sarwate and Banerjee hold the overall Indian record with their 249-run stand, the Ranji Trophy record stands with Ajay Sharma and Maninder Singh. Sharma and Singh achieved the feat against Bombay in the 1991-92 Ranji semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

While Sharma top-scored with an unbeaten 259, Singh compiled 78 in their 233-run stand in a match that Delhi eventually won by virtue of the first-innings lead.

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