Rajat Patidar smashes fifth fastest Ranji Trophy century

Indore: Madhya Pradesh batter Rajat Patidar reignited his domestic season in stunning fashion, blasting fifth fastest hundred in Ranji Trophy history in just 68 balls against Haryana on Tuesday.

Patidar's century not only secured him a place in the record books but also lifted Madhya Pradesh's chances in their third-round clash at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.

Coming in at No. 3 on the final day of play, Patidar set the game alight with an electrifying knock that eclipsed the previous Madhya Pradesh record for the fastest Ranji Trophy century, leapfrogging Naman Ojha's 69-ball hundred against Karnataka in 2015. The all-time record remains with Rishabh Pant, who smashed a 48-ball hundred in 2016 against Jharkhand.

Madhya Pradesh had conceded a hefty 132-run first-innings lead after Haryana racked up 440 in response to MP’s 308. With only two sessions left to play, they needed to score rapidly to set a target, and Patidar took charge. His blitz included 11 fours and three towering sixes, giving MP the boost they needed in the final innings push.

This century was Patidar’s 13th in First-Class cricket and marked a comeback for the 31-year-old, who has struggled for form at the start of the domestic season.

Following a disappointing Duleep Trophy campaign in which he managed only 146 runs in six innings, Patidar also faltered in the opening Ranji round. However, he began regaining momentum in the previous match against Punjab, scoring a solid 90.

The Indore-born batter, who had earlier made his Test debut against England this year, hasn’t yet cemented his place on the international stage. After accumulating just 63 runs across six innings, he was dropped from the Test squad and overlooked for the India A team’s upcoming series in Australia.