Two Goa Batters Smash Triple Centuries In 606-Run Stand, Declare 19 Short Of World Record

Goa's Snehal Kauthankar slammed a triple hundred off 205 balls against Arunachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy Plate Division on Thursday, the third-fastest effort in all first-class history, amidst a plethora of records.

Goa and Arunachal faced off from November 13 at the Goa Cricket Association Academy in Porvorim. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first, but were bowled out for 84 on the first day, as Arjun Tendulkar took 5-25, the first five-wicket haul in the family.

In response, Goa lost Ishaan Gadekar (3) early, but had already raced to 121 when they lost their second wicket, of Suyash Prabhudessai (73 in 64 balls). This brought Snehal Kauthankar together with No.3 Kashyap Bakle.

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Kauthankar raced to his first, second, and third hundreds at breakneck pace. Having taken 146 balls for his double ton, he took only another 49 to bring up his third. This is now the third-fastest triple hundred in the history of first-class cricket – but only the second-fastest against Arunachal Pradesh.

Bakle joined in the fun as well, though at 269 balls, his triple hundred took significantly longer than Kauthankar’s. Despite that, it is now the ninth-fastest entry on the list.

Fastest triple hundreds in first-class cricket (where known)

Balls Batter Team Opposition Venue Season 147 Tanmay Agarwal Hyderabad Arunachal Pradesh Secunderabad 2023-24 191 Marco Marais Border Eastern Province East London 2017-18 205 Snehal Kauthankar Goa Arunachal Pradesh Porvorim 2024-25 234 Ken Rutherford New Zealanders DB Close’s XI Scarborough 1986 244 Viv Richards Somerset Warwickshire Taunton 1985 244 Kusal Perera Colts CC Saracens SC Colombo (Colts) 2012-13 245 Kithuruwan Vithanage Tamil Union CAC Sri Lanka Air Force SC Katunayake 2014-15 249 Graeme Smith Somerset Leicestershire Taunton 2005 269 Kashyap Bakle Goa Arunachal Pradesh Porvorim 2024-25 270 Ramesh Mendis Moors SC Negombo SC Colombo (Moors) 2019-20

Bakle and Kauthankar became only the second pair of batters to score triple hundreds in the same innings of a first-class match, after WV Raman (313) and Arjan Kripal Singh (302 not out) of Tamil Nadu in 1988-89.

Goa captain Darshan Misal declared immediately after Bakle got to his triple hundred, denying the pair a shot at the highest partnership in the history of first-class cricket. They needed another 19 to go past the 624 set by Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, in a Test match.

Highest partnerships in first-class cricket

Stand Wicket Batters Team Opposition Venue Season 624 3rd Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene Sri Lanka South Africa Colombo (SSC) 2006 606* 3rd Kashyap Bakle, Swapnil Kauthankar Goa Arunachal Pradesh Porvorim 2023-24 594* 3rd Swapnil Gugale, Ankit Bawne Maharashtra Delhi Mumbai (Wankhede) 2016-17 580 2nd Rafatullah Mohmand, Aamer Sajjad WPDA Sui Southern Gas Sheikhupura 1946-47 577 4th Vijay Hazare, Gul Mohammad Baroda Holkar Baroda (CCG) 1997

Nevertheless, in all first-class cricket, Goa’s total of 727-2 is now the highest by any team for a completed innings while losing only two wickets. The West Indians held the previous record when they declared on 682-2 against Leicestershire at Grace Road in 1950.

In fact, even in incomplete innings, Maharashtra (against Kathiawar at Poona in 1948-49) are the only team to have gone past 727 for the loss of two wickets. They lost their third wicket on 778 en route to 826-4.

At the time of writing, Arunachal Pradesh were 52-6 in their second innings.

Image credit: X / @BCCIDomestic

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