In a Ranji Trophy 2024 quarter-final, Tanush Kotian and Tushar Deshpande set the second instance of No.10 and No.11 scoring hundreds in the same first-class innings.

At the Bandra-Kurla Complex Ground in Mumbai, the hosts made 384 and bowled out Baroda for 348 in a Ranji Trophy 2024 quarter-final. The first-innings lead was enough for a semi-final berth, so Mumbai batted on, and were 337-9 when No.11 Tushar Deshpande joined No.10 Tanush Kotian.

The pair batted for 40 overs before Ninad Rathwa had Deshpande caught by Lukman Meriwala. Kotian’s unbeaten 120 included 10 fours and four sixes, while Deshpande’s 123 featured 10 fours and eight sixes. Both men faced 129 balls each.

This was only the second instance of Nos. 10 and 11 both making hundreds in the same innings in first-class cricket. Chandu Sarwate had made 124 not out and Shute Banerjee 121 against Surrey at The Oval in 1946 to lift the touring Indians from 205-9 to 454.

In this instance, Mumbai finished on 569 after Kotian and Deshpande added 232, the third-highest last-wicket stand for an Indian pair and sixth-highest overall.

Sarwate and Banerjee’s 249 remain the Indian record and the second-highest of all time, while the 233-run stand between Ajay Sharma and Maninder Singh for Delhi against Bombay at the Wankhede Stadium in 1991/92 remains the Ranji Trophy record and the fifth-best of all time.

At fourth place is 235, between Frank Woolley and Arthur Fielder for Kent against Worcestershire at Amblecote in 1909, while the 239 between Aqeel Arshad and Ali Raza of Lahore Whites against Hyderabad at Lahore in 2004/05 is third.

However, the world record – by a massive margin – still lies with Alan Kippax and Hal Hooker, who put on 307 to lift New South Wales from 113-9 to 420 against Victoria at Melbourne in 1928/29. The partnership inspired John Riley to write a book.

Among No.11s, Deshpande’s 123 is the highest by an Indian and the fourth-highest overall, while among No.10s, Kotian’s 120 not out is the fifth-highest by Indians and the 14th-highest in all first-class cricket.

Chasing 606, Baroda finished on 121-3 meaning that the game was drawn and that Mumbai qualified for the semi-final on account of registering a higher first innings score.

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