5 best match figures recorded in Ranji Trophy history

The Ranji Trophy has witnessed a number of amazing bowling figures in it’s long historyIndia’s premier domestic competition, the Ranji Trophy, has always been a breeding ground for champions. Over the years, the tournament has witnessed several great performances from some talented Indian players with both bat and ball.Among these, there have been a few exceptional bowling spells which have set the standards extremely high for others to follow. The 16-wicket match haul by Madhya Pradesh off-spinner Jalaj Saxena in the recent match against Railways was one such instance. Here are 5 bowling spells which are currently on top of the list for best match figures in the holy grail of Indian domestic cricket.

#5 Sushil Kumar Prasad, 15 for 89 vs Tripura, 1990

SK Prasad’s match figures are the second best ever by a left-arm spinner in Ranji history

Sushil Kumar Prasad is a former left-arm spinner who began his domestic career playing for Delhi. He later moved to the Orissa team and remained part of it for the rest of his career. During his stint with Orissa, he achieved the rare feat of picking up 15 or more wickets in a Ranji Trophy match when he returned figures of 15 for 89 against Tripura in the 1990/91 season.

The figures of 9 for 52 which Prasad recorded in Tripura’s 2nd innings went on to become the best of his first-class career. In the process, he helped his team Orissa inflict a massive innings defeat over their opponents. His match figures are also the second best by a left-arm spinner in the Ranji Trophy topped only by Karnataka’s Raghuram Bhat.

#4 Raghuram Bhat, 15 for 84 vs Tamil Nadu, 1988

Bhat became only the fourth bowler at the time to pick up 15 wickets in a Ranji match

Karnataka’s left-arm orthodox spinner from the 80s, Raghuram Bhat, claimed 15 wickets in a match against their South Zone rivals Tamil Nadu. In what was a quite a low scoring affair, Bhat took 8 for 43 in Tamil Nadu’s first innings helping his team obtain a lead of 97 runs. Although Karnataka could muster only 94 in their 2nd innings, Raghuram picked up 7 for 41 in the 4th innings to seal a 67-run victory for his home side.

When the slow left-armer achieved this milestone, he became only the fourth bowler in Ranji Trophy history to get 15 wickets or more in a match. The three bowlers who did it before him were Subhash Gupte, Premangsu Chatterjee and Pradeep Sunderam.

#3 Jalaj Saxena, 16 for 154 vs Railways, 2015

Saxena became the first player in over 20 years to pick up 16 wickets in a Ranji Trophy match

The newest joinee in this elite list of bowlers who have been part of the Ranji Trophy is Madhya Pradesh off-spinner Jalaj Saxena. In an incredible effort which made him the joint record holder for the second best match figures in India’s most important domestic tourney alongside Rajasthan medium pacer Pradeep Sunderam, Jalaj floored opponents Railways with 8 wickets in each inning while conceding 154 runs in the match.

It is for the first time in twenty years since Anil Kumble’s record breaking 16 for 99 that a bowler has taken 16 wickets in a Ranji game. Saxena’s stellar performance allowed Madhya Pradesh to thrash Railways comprehensively by 9 wickets and secure 3rd position in the points table for Group B of this year’s Ranji Trophy with 17 points.

#2 Pradeep Sunderam, 16 for 154 vs Vidarbha, 1985

Sunderam picked up all 10 wickets in an innings against Vidarbha

The former Rajasthan medium pacer held the record for the best match figures in a Ranji Trophy match for close to 10 years before it was broken by former India leg break bowler Anil Kumble. In the 1985/86 season of the prestigious tournament, Pradeep Sunderam picked up 16 wickets for 154 runs in a game against Vidarbha surpassing Subhash Gupte’s 15 for 104 against the same opposition in the 1962/63 season.

In the same match, Sunderam also recorded the second best figures in an innings at the Ranji Trophy as he single handedly got the Vidarbha batsmen out with his 10 for 78. The seamer’s match feat was recently equalled by Jalaj Saxena of Madhya Pradesh.

#1 Anil Kumble, 16 for 99 vs Kerala, 1995

Anil Kumble picked up eight wickets-a-piece in both innings against Kerala

It should come as a surprise to anyone that India’s ace spinner heads this list for the best match figures in the Ranji Trophy. This performance came at a time when Karnataka were at their peak in terms of dominance in Indian domestic cricket. In a league game against Kerala, Anil Kumble picked up 16 wickets for as less as 99 runs as his team registered a massive 270-run win.

Kumble bagged 8 for 58 in the 1st innings and 8 for 41 in the 2nd as Karnataka trampled over a hapless Kerala. The leggie’s exploits in the Kerala 2nd innings ended up as being his best ever figures in a Ranji Trophy innings while his match figures of 16-99 are the best ever match figures in Ranji history – a record that has stood for close for twenty years.