The Greatest Ranji Final Ever Played

Dilip Vengasarkar arguing with the umpires during the 1991 Ranji Final

It seems like Mumbai are going to add another feather in their cap by lifting the Ranji Trophy for 2012-2013. If they make it, it would be their 40th title and a great achievement. The Ranji Trophy, the league which shapes a cricketer’s progress to the Indian squad, is the most prestigious first class cricket championship in India. Mumbai (formerly Bombay) have been the most dominant team in the championship so far, with 39 wins, including 15 back-to-back wins from 1958-1959 to 1972-1973. But this was not the case in 1990-1991, when two of the finest cricketers in Indian cricket were going head-to-head in a Ranji Final. It was also the first time for Sachin Tendulkar, who would feel the thrill of playing the final of national championship.

Bombay had eight Test cricketers in their line-up, while Haryana, under Kapil Dev, had Chetan Sharma and Ajay Jadeja (yet to make his debut in international cricket) as the only known names in their line-up. Haryana chose to bat, and made a huge total of 522. Deepak Sharma was the top scorer with 199, while Jadeja and Chetan Sharma fell in the 90s. In reply, Bombay made 410. Most of the top order played well, but the team fell well short of Haryana’s total. Tendulkar contributed 47 before he was adjudged LBW to Chetan Sharma. Nightwatchman Sanjay Patil was the top scorer for Bombay with 85. After trailing by 112 runs, Bombay’s bowlers did a great job to restrict Haryana to 242 in their second innings. The target for Bombay was 355, to win back the Ranji title that they had last claimed in 1984-1985. They had more than two sessions, but the required run rate was more than five an over.

At 3 down for 34 at lunch on the final day, all their hopes were on an 18-year old who had acquired a reputation for being a game-changer. Sachin took the bowling attack spearheaded by Kapil Dev and Chetan Sharma apart. He reached his 50 in just 49 balls, and Haryana’s bowling was dispatched all around the park. Sachin and Vengasarkar joined forces for a 134-run stand for the 4th wicket, of which Sachin smashed 96 off 75 balls. The last 46 runs came off just 26 balls, and his marvellous innings was studded with 5 sixes and 9 fours. Sachin’s dismissal at 168, followed by that of Vinod Kambli(45), triggered another collapse even as Vengasarkar marched on towards a majestic century.

Vengasarkar was solid, but Bombay lost Chandrakant Pandit, Raju Kulkarni, Salil Ankola and Sanjay Patil all in a quick succession. When the ninth wicket fell, debutant pacer Abey Kuruvilla joined the captain with 50 runs still needed for a victory. Suddenly, Vengasarkar switched gears. He went after the off-spinner Yogendra Bhandari, smashing him for 3 sixes and 2 fours in an over. With 3 needed of 14 balls, Kuruvilla played and Rajput (Vengasarkar’s runner) called for a single, but the throw went to the non-striker’s end and Kuruvilla was run out. Vengasarkar was absolutely stunned, as victory was Haryana’s by two runs.

Albeit, Vengasarkar’s 139 was the top score for Bombay, but he certainly did not seem to enjoy it. He was crying inconsolably,well after the Haryana’s players had finished the celebrating victory.