Batsmen averaging above 50 in Ranji Trophy 2015-16 after 7 matches

Batsmen averaging above 50 in Ranji Trophy 2015-16 after 7 matches: Three batsmen, who, having featured in all the seven games played, thus far, in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2015-16 season, have a  batting average in excess of 50.0 and have significantly contributed to their respective team’s performance.

1. Yashpal Singh, Services – average 67.12:

Making his first-class debut in 2001-02, Yashpal has been in the circuit for more than a decade. The 33-year old veteran has featured in all the 7 games (10 innings) played, thus far, in the current season. He has remained unbeaten on 2 occasions.

Singh has scored 537 runs at an average of 67.12 with 115* as his best score. This he scored in the second innings in the game against Saurashtra, played between 30^th October and 2^nd November 2015, at Palam A Ground, Model Sports Complex, Delhi. He has 2 centuries and 4 half-centuries to his credit thus far in the season.

Trailing in the first innings by 10 runs over Saurashtra; Singh’s unbeaten 115 runs (21m, 149b, 17 fours, 1 six) and his 187-run fourth-wicket partnership with Rajat Paliwal (103, 245m, 189b, 14 fours), helped Services set up a target of 302 runs for the opposition. Saurashtra won the game by four wickets.

2. Kedar Devdhar, Baroda – average 61.80:

25-year old Devdhar has been the mainstay of Baroda batting. Featuring in all the 7 matches (11 innings), thus far, remaining unbeaten once, he has scored 618 runs at an average of 61.80 with 186 as his personal best. He has 1 century and 3 half-centuries to his credit.

Devdhar’s best innings of 186 runs (365m, 249b, 28 fours, 1 six) came in the seventh round game against Punjab, played at Moti Bagh Stadium. Vadodara, between 15^th and 17^th November 2015.

His big innings and the huge first-wicket partnership of 245 runs (which is the best in the tournament thus far) along with Aditya Waghmode (96, 256m, 184b, 14 fours, 1 six) helped Baroda put up a massive 475 runs in the first innings and helped them take the crucial lead of 263 runs over Punjab. Finally, Baroda won the game by a huge margin of an innings and 116 runs.

3. Rajat Paliwal, Services – average 55.0:

Playing for Services since his debut in 2011-12 season Paliwal has featured in all the 7 games (11 innings) played in this season and has remained unbeaten once. Paliwal has accumulated 550 runs at an average of 55.0 with 121 runs as his personal best. He also has 3 centuries and 2 half-centuries in the season by far.

His season’s best innings of 121 runs (195m, 142b, 19 fours, 1 six) came in the first innings in the game against Saurashtra played at Palam A Ground, Model Sports Complex Delhi, between 30^th October and 2^nd November 2015.

Paliwal’s lone fight helped Services to recover from a situation of 59/3 and took the team to a level of safety when he departed with the scoreboard reading 171/4. Eventually, Services ended their first innings at 254 runs.

Rajat also played a stellar innings in the second knock scoring 103 runs (245m, 189b, 14 fours) and was instrumental in establishing a fourth-wicket partnership of 187 runs along with the other centurion, Yashpal Singh (115*). However, these heroics were not enough to prevent the opposition from winning the game by 4 wickets.