Panaji: At the lunch break, when Goa’s Snehal Kauthankar and Kashyap Bakhale trooped inside the dressing room after a massive batting effort that saw them put on 577 runs for the third wicket against Arunachal Pradesh, they were told that they are just 18 runs short of the highest-ever partnership in Ranji Trophy history.
Kauthankar had already struck a triple century, the second Goan batter to achieve the feat, while Kashyap, playing only his second Ranji Trophy game, was unbeaten on 280. “We needed a few more runs, so we were keen to get to the record first and then Kashyap’s milestone 300,” said Kauthankar.
The Goa batters reached both milestones in quick time at the Academy ground in Porvorim on Thursday. To be safe of the record in Ranji Trophy, they put up an unbeaten partnership of 606 runs for the third wicket, overturning the 594 runs scored by Maharashtra's Swapnil Gugale and Ankit Bawne at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
There were celebrations all around. Goa captain Darshan Misal declared the innings no sooner Bakhale reached 300, only to then realise that they were just 19 runs short of setting a world record in first class cricket.
“We came to know about the world record after declaring our innings,” Kauthankar told TOI. “Nobody was aware, or else we would have surely gone for that record (as well).”
The highest partnership in first class cricket is the 624 runs scored by Sri Lankan pair of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene during a Test match against South Africa at home in 2006.
“We don’t have any regrets of not getting the world record. Our performance was really good. We are extremely proud and, more importantly, we are now going to the Elite group,” said the experienced Goa batter, who scored 250 in the previous game against Mizoram.
Goa are playing in the Plate group, comprising six of the lowest-ranked teams. Until last season, Goa were in the Elite category but were relegated after finishing at the bottom of the pool. This season, they topped the group and qualified, winning all their five matches.
In contrast, Arunachal Pradesh lost all five games, the one in Goa in less than two days.
After bowling out Arunachal for a modest 84 in their first innings, Goa declared their innings at 727-2, with Kauthankar (314* off 215 balls) and Bakhale (300* off 269 balls) putting on a record partnership for the third wicket.
Arunachal’s second innings ended at 92 in 22.3 overs, giving Goa a win by an innings and 551 runs.
Goa’s 727-2 was their highest score in the premier domestic cricket tournament, but it was well short of the record in Ranji Trophy. That belongs to Tamil Nadu who declared their innings at a massive 912-6, incidentally against Goa in Panaji in 1989.
In that game, Tamil Nadu’s WV Raman and Arjun Kripal Singh had scored 313 and 302 runs, the first instance of two batters getting triple centuries. Thirty-five years later, Kauthankar and Bakhale equalled that record, set another one for the highest-ever partnership and Goa unknowingly declared, before realising that they were a mere 19 runs away from setting a world record.
Brief scores: Arunachal Pradesh 84 (Nabam Tagan Abo 25, Neelam Obi 22; Arjun Tendulkar 5-25, Mohit Redkar 3-15) & 92 (Nabam 31) Lakshay Garg 4-43, Deepraj Gaonkar 2-15, Keith 2-25) lost to Goa 727-2 in 92 overs (Snehal Kauthankar 314 not out, Kashyap Bakhale 300 not out, Suyash Prabhudessai 73) by an innings and 551 runs.