In a breathtaking display of cricketing prowess, Riyan Parag carved his name in the history of the Ranji Trophy, achieving the second-fastest century in a spectacular inning against Chhattisgarh. The Assam captain’s blazing knock featured 12 sixes, reaching the century milestone in just 56 balls during the Group B Ranji Trophy match in Raipur.
Despite Parag’s heroic effort of 155 off 87 balls, embellished with 11 fours, Assam faced a setback, succumbing to Chhattisgarh by 10 wickets. The opposition successfully chased down 87 runs in 20 overs, overshadowing Parag’s remarkable performance.
Undoubtedly, Parag’s innings stood out as one of the bravest and heroic displays in Ranji Trophy history. Forced to follow on after being bowled out for 159 in response to Chhattisgarh’s 327, Assam found themselves at 78/2 when Parag entered the field. Despite wickets falling around him, Parag went full throttle, clearing boundaries with ease and achieving a manic strike rate of 178.16.
However, the lack of support from his teammates resulted in Assam being bowled out for 245, with the remaining 10 batters contributing just 99 runs collectively. Nevertheless, Parag’s stellar performance etched his name in the record books, contributing 52 percent of Assam’s total score.
In celebration of Parag’s extraordinary feat, we present the five fastest centuries of all time in the Ranji Trophy:
1. Rishabh Pant– off 48 balls: Pant’s blistering century in 2016, a whirlwind knock of 135 off 67 deliveries, remains a standout moment in Ranji Trophy history.
2. Riyan Parag – off 56 balls: Parag’s recent breath-taking innings showcased his explosive form, although it came in a losing cause against Chhattisgarh.
3. Naman Ojha– off 69 balls: In the 2015 Ranji trophy match against Karnataka, Ojha’s entertaining inning of 115 off 81 balls added flair to a drawn encounter.
4.Eklavya Dwivedi – off 72 balls: Dwivedi’s belligerent century played a pivotal role in Uttar Pradesh’s crucial win against Railways.
5.Rishabh Pant – off 82 balls: Pant secures a double entry in the list, underlining his exceptional performances in the same match.
