Record breaking Samit Gohel credits Parthiv, Dravid for success

Gujarat opener Samit Gohel entered the record books when he smashed an unbeaten 359 against Odisha in the Ranji Trophy 2016-17 quarter-final match. His herculean effort saw Gujarat post a mammoth 641 in the match at Jaipur. The score of 359 by Gohel is now officially the highest unbeaten score by an opening batsman in the history of first-class cricket.

The knock was his first triple century. It came off 723 balls that was studded with 45 fours and a six. He overtook Maharashtra’s Swapnil Gugale (351*) as the highest run scorer in a Ranji Trophy innings. The more significant record was the highest unbeaten score by an opener.

He broke the 117-year-old record. Former England and Surrey opener Bobby Abel had scored 357* in 1899. Reflecting back at the long way he has come, Samit Gohel spoke to xtratime.in after the match. He was once tipped as a slow cricketer who took very few risks. Gohel attributed his success to former Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid.

He recalled how a conversation with the master helped him change his game. “I still remember what Rahul Sir said when we met him at NCA, he specifically told us how to concentrate ball by ball and stay positive at the back of the mind. Now I am trying to implement them in my game. I too have dreams to play for India like him,” he quoted.

He also credited his success to Gujarat skipper Parthiv Patel. He cited the way Parthiv helped him change his mindset and get into the aggressive mode as well. “My captain Parthiv Patel has inspired a lot in changing my game. I used to play slow cricket as until the ball was 200 percent correct I never opted for attacking shots. He helped me change my mindset and told me to play more attacking shots. In this game I specifically changed my game and did a lot of thinking in playing my shots,” he said.

A very humble Gohel, who became the second Gujarat batsman to score a triple century after Priyank Panchal (314*), also thanked his parents on the occasion. “My Father Bhanu Bhai a local businessman and home maker Mother Ila Behen sacrificed a lot for my cricket, without them I won’t have been successful, coming from a middle class family they have struggled a lot for me and they too are my prime motivators in playing cricket,” he conceded.