Highest individual score in Ranji Trophy: When BB Nimbalkar missed Bradman’s record by a whisker

The Ranji Trophy, India’s premier First-Class competition, has witnessed some fine batting performances through the years, with many players getting their names in the record books.

In the longer format of cricket, batters that can sustain their stay on the crease while adding big runs to the total are worth their weight in gold.

BB Nimbalkar was one such player, who scored 443 runs, to set the record for the highest individual score in Ranji Trophy. Here are the other big scores of the elite tournament.

Highest individual score in Ranji Trophy

Bhausaheb Babasaheb Nimbalkar (Maharashtra) - 443* vs Saurashtra | 1948/49

At a time when big scores in Ranji Trophy were an everyday thing, Maharashtra’s Bhausaheb Babasaheb Nimbalkar rewrote history books with his glorious batting.

Playing against Kathiawar in December 1948, Nimbalkar came to the crease at 81/1 and batted for three days without much challenge from the opposition, taking Maharashtra to 826/4. 

When Kathiwar took tea on the third day, their players demanded Maharashtra to declare the innings or else they would not continue playing. The innings was not declared and Kathiawar forfeited the match.

Nonetheless, Nimbalkar remained unbeaten on 443 - nine runs short of Donald Bradman’s record - and hit 49 fours and six in his marathon effort.

Prithvi Shaw (Mumbai) - 379 vs Assam | 2022-23

Mumbai's Prithvi Shaw features second on the list for the highest individual score in Ranji Trophy history.

Opening the batting, Prithvi Shaw scored a scintillating 379 off 383 balls against Assam during a Elite Group B match in Guwahati in the 2022-23 season. 

The Mumbai batter's magnificent knock included 49 fours and four sixes. Shaw's triple ton along with captain Ajinkya Rahane's 191 powered Mumbai to 687/4d in their first innings.

In reply, Assam were bowled out for 370 and 189 in their two innings as they lost the match by an innings and 128 runs.

Sanjay Manjrekar (Bombay) - 377 vs Hyderabad | 1990-91

Batting first, Bombay’s captain Sanjay Manjrekar took on Hyderabad from the get-go at the Wankhede Stadium. The right-hander came to the crease when the home side was down 5/1 and soon went to 30/2.

However, the joy for Hyderabad was short-lived as Manjrekar and Dilip Vengsarkar battered the visitors for two days. While Manjrekar racked up 377 runs in 473 balls, spending 666 minutes on the crease. His innings included 50 fours and five maximums.

Along with Manjrekar’s heroic batting, Dilip Vengsarkar (121) and Vinod Kambli (126) helped Bombay put up 855/6 on the board before declaring.

However, Hyderabad also responded with aplomb and the match ended in a draw.

Tanmay Agarwal (Hyderabad) - 366 vs Arunachal | 2023-24

Hyderabad's Tanmay Agarwal registered the joint fourth-highest individual score in Ranji Trophy.

During a Plate Group match in the 2023-24 season, Tanmay Agarwal slammed 366 off just 181 balls against Arunachal Pradesh at the NexGen Cricket Ground in Hyderabad.

Earlier, the swashbuckling left-handed batter smashed the fastest triple century in first-class cricket history. The opening batter took just 147 balls to reach the incredible milestone, breaking the previous record held by Border's Marco Marais off 191 balls against Eastern Province in 2017.

Interesting, Tanmay also became the first cricketer from India to score 300-plus runs in a single day's play in first-class cricket.

His incredible knock was laced with 34 fours and 26 maximums, the most sixes hit by a batter in a first-class innings.  

MV Sridhar (Hyderabad) - 366 vs Andhra | 1993-94

Chasing Andhra’s meagre 263 in the first innings, MV Sridhar played out an unabating inning for Hyderabad, amassing 366 runs in 523 deliveries.

When Sridhar came out to bat, Hyderabad were 30/1. When Sridhar went back to the dugout, his team was at 880/5. A whopping 850 runs were added during Sridhar’s stay in the middle.

Hyderabad declared their innings at 944/6, with a lead of 681 runs. Vivek Jaisimha (211) and Noel David (207*) were the other centurions in the first innings.

The match, however, ended in a stalemate.

Photo credit: Alamy