Ranji Trophy 2017-18 – Statistical Preview

The 84th edition of India’s premier first-class competition is set to begin from the October 6th (Friday) where 28 teams will be contesting across four Groups. A change in the format of play will be seen this time with each group containing seven teams out of which two will make it to the knockouts.

Here we look at some of the key numbers ahead of the season.

1 – The chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav was the leading run-getter as well as leading wicket-taker for Uttar Pradesh in the 2016/17 season. He scored 466 runs with the bat and picked up 36 wickets with the ball.

5 – Number of players who did the double of 300+ runs and 30+ wickets in Ranji Trophy 2016/17 season. Along with Kuldeep, Parvez Rasool (629 runs and 38 wickets), Shadab Jakati (384 runs and 41 wickets), Karn Sharma (341 runs and 31 wickets) and Chama Milind (316 runs and 35 wickets) also did the double.

5 – Number of ten-wicket match hauls for Ravindra Jadeja and Joginder Sharma in Ranji Trophy. These are the most among the active players in the tournament.

23 – Pankaj Singh’s 23 five-wicket hauls in the Ranji Trophy are the most among the active players. Rishi Dhawan and Joginder Sharma have bagged 19 five-fers each in the tournament.

56 – Shahbaz Nadeem picked up 56 wickets in the 2016/17 Ranji season. In the 2015/16 season, the Jharkhand left-arm spinner had 51 wickets. Thus, Nadeem became the 2nd player after Kanwaljit Singh in 1998/99 and 1999/00 to take 50 wickets in consecutive Ranji seasons.

356 – Vinay Kumar’s 356 wickets in the Ranji Trophy are the most among the active players. Pankaj Singh has 351 wickets while Amit Mishra’s 283 wickets are the most among the active spinners.

972 – Runs Rishabh Pant scored in the 2016/17 season. Had he completed 1000 runs in the season, he could have been the youngest to aggregate 1000 runs in a Ranji season.

1310 – Priyank Panchal’s 1310 runs in the 2016/17 are the 3rd most for any player in a Ranji Trophy season. Shreyas Iyer scored 1321 runs in the 2015/16 season. VVS Laxman’s 1415 runs in the 1999/00 season are the most for any player.

10143 – Wasim Jaffer’s Ranji Trophy aggregate of 10143 runs is the most by any player and the most among the active players as well. Madhya Pradesh’s Devendra Bundela and Naman Ojha have scored 8851 and 6934 respectively. The participation of Mithun Manhas (8554) and Subramanian Badrinath (7850) in this season is unlikely.