November 3, 1999 – Longest innings ever in first-class cricket

18 years ago on this day, Himachal Pradesh captain Rajeev Nayyar broke a 41-year-old record in the 200 years of first-class cricket. Nayyar batted 1015 minutes during the Ranji Trophy game against Jammu Kashmir in 1999 to become the first ever player to bat 1000 minutes in the history of recognized cricket. His marathon innings started on November 1st and came to an end on November 3rd when he was finally dismissed.

J&K were bowled out on the first day for 249 after electing to bat first at the Chamba’s Police Stadium. Nayyar walked out to bat in the 2nd hour of the 2nd day’s morning session after his team lost their first wicket for 39 runs. The Himachal skipper scored an unbeaten 89 before the completion of day two as his team finished with 219/3 needing another 31 runs to take the lead. Nayyar needed 134 balls for his fifty and took another 130 for bringing up his hundred with 12 fours and a six.

He slowed down further after his hundred as he added just 91 runs on the 3rd day and Himachal scored only 188 in 89 overs of the day’s play. He needed 157 balls to reach 150 from 100 and another 197 balls to close up his maiden double century in first-class cricket. After taking 618 balls for the double ton, Nayyar raced to 250 in the next 54 balls he faced. His innings finally came to an end when he was bowled off the opposition captain Kavaljit Singh after scoring 271 runs from 728 balls with 26 fours and a six.

With the help of this innings, Rajeev broke the record held by Pakistani great Hanif Mohammad, who batted 970 minutes for his 337-run knock while following-on against West Indies in January 1958. Pakistan declared their 2nd innings at 657/8 in that game after they were bowled out for just 106 runs in their first innings in the reply to the home side’s total of 579/9. The game ended in a draw after the Windies scored only 28/0 chasing Pakistan’s 185-run target.

Gujarat opener Samit Gohel came near to the record with his 964-minute innings during the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Odisha last season. In the 2nd innings of the game, Gohel carried the bat with an unbeaten 359 off 723 balls. His innings was the 3rd longest in first-class cricket in terms of minutes after Nayyar and Hanif’s efforts. The only other player to bat 900 minutes in an innings was Rajasthan’s Vineet Saxena in 2011/12 against Tamil Nadu in Ranji final. The Rajasthan opener batted for 907 minutes for his 665-ball 257-run effort.