5 Ranji Trophy facts that you didn't know about SachinTendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar is playing his last Ranji Trophy game against Haryana in Lahli for the preparation of his last Test series against West Indies coming up next month. He has been a giant in international cricket and has his name featuring in the top of the list in most cricketing records.

However, not many of us know about his performances in the Ranji Trophy. Here are 5 Ranji Trophy facts that you didn’t know about SachinTendulkar.

Debut hundreds

Sachin Tendulkar: Debut hundreds in all four domestic competitions

Sachin Tendulkar scored a hundred on his Ranji debut against Gujarat way back in 1988 at the age of 15 years 230 days. Although he was picked in the Mumbai side a year ago in 1987, he was handed a debut only next season when the captain Dilip Vengsarkar was impressed after seeing him in the nets.

Tendulkar grabbed the opportunity with both hands and hit an unbeaten hundred at the Wankhede stadium that made him the youngest player in history of Indian cricket to hit a hundred on Ranji debut.

Not only did he score a hundred on his Ranji debut, he went to score tons in his debut games in Deodhar and Duleep Trophies as well. He didn’t stop there. He went to score an unbeaten hundred on his Irani trophy debut against Delhi in 1989-90 season thus becoming the only Indian to achieve the feat of scoring debut hundreds in all four Indian domestic competitions.

Highest batting average

Sachin Tendulkar: Averages a massive 87 for Mumbai

His average of 87.43 is the highest batting average for any batsman who has played over 50 innings in the Ranji Trophy. Moreover, he stands in the second position for scoring the most 100s/innings. Sachin Tendulkar has scored 18 hundreds in the 37 Ranji matches he’s has played till now and has scored a hundred after every 3.06 innings that stands only behind Vijay Merchant who scored a hundred every 2.94 innings.

Only one duck in entire Ranji career

Sachin Tendulkar: Only 1 duck in Ranji Trophy career

Sachin Tendulkar has been dismissed for a duck only once in his entire Ranji Trophy career. He was sent back without scoring in the 2008-2009 Ranji finals by none other than the current Indian swing sensation, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

However, he has been most troubled by the former Indian left-arm spinner Venkatpathy Raju in the Ranji Trophy. Raju, who played for Hyderabad, has dismissed Tendulkar thrice in the Ranji games, the highest by any bowler.

Partnerships

Sachin Tendulkar and Sanjay Manjrekar: Super partnership

Sachin Tendulkar has had terrific partnership records with Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid in international cricket. If Ganguly and Tendulkar forged a formidable opening partnership in ODIs, Dravid was his favorite partner in crime in the Test arena.

However, in the Ranji Trophy, Tendulkar’s favourite partner was Sanjay Manjrekar, the star Mumbai and India batsman. Both of them formed a prolific pair and added 915 runs in 10 innings together at an average of 101.66 with 5 century stands.

Tendulkar also had 5 century stands with Vinod Kambli in Ranji Trophy.

Mumbai never lost when Tendulkar scored a hundred

Sachin Tendulkar: Mumbai never lost when he scored a 100

Sachin Tendulkar has been the most prolific match winner for Mumbai as well. Mumbai has never lost a game whenever Tendulkar has scored a hundred in Ranji Trophy. Tendulkar has 18 hundreds to his credit and each of those has never been in a lost cause.

Incidentally, Tendulkar also has 19 fifties in Ranji Trophy and Mumbai has lost only once (1990-91 finals vs Haryana) whenever Tendulkar has gone past 50 in the above 37 occasions.