Pujara scores another triple, enters record books by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Khandheri Cricket Stadium, Rajkot
Scorecard:	Baroda v Holkar, Saurashtra Under-22s v Mumbai Under-22s, Saurashtra v Orissa
Player:	CA Pujara, RA Jadeja, SH Kotak, VS Hazare, Gul Mohammad
Event:	Ranji Trophy 2008/09

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DateLine: 12th November 2008

 

Cheteshwar Pujara continued with his amazing run of batting form with another triple century to his name; his third one in the last month or so, as Saurashtra took control of their Ranji trophy match against Orissa. Pujara had been in sublime touch ever since the last season’s Ranji tournament where he had finished atop of the batting charts. In this season as well, he had scored a couple of triple centuries in the under-22 tournament, and had come into the Ranji trophy with a reputation to keep.

 

After having lost their first match to Gujarat, Saurashtra was in trouble at 40/3 in this one, when Pujara walked in to the crease. He had a reasonably fruitful 60 run fourth wicket partnership with Sidhanshu Kotak, before the other precocious talent, Ravindra Jadeja walked into bat. The duo then added a massive, unbeaten 520 runs in only around 117 overs and took almost all the bowlers to the cleaners. In the process the duo also broke quite a few records. Theirs was the second-best partnership in Indian cricket after Vijay Hazare and Gul Mahomed's 577-run stand for Baroda against Holkar in 1946-47. And talking of fifth wicket stands, it became the highest one by beating the unbroken 464-run stand between the Waugh twins for New South Wales against Western Australia in 1990-91.

 

Puajara remained unbeaten at 302, while Jadeja scored 232 without getting out.

 

With the pace that the duo batted at, it enabled the hosts to declare the inning at 620/4 and get Orissa to bat again. At the end of the second day, Orissa was 46/0, and staring at a huge mountain to climb.