Stats: Yusuf Pathan registers twin centuries in Ranji Trophy

Baroda all-rounder Yusuf Pathan started the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy season on a great note as he struck hundreds in both the innings of their opening game against Madhya Pradesh at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. The senior player took the responsibilities to take his team out of troubles with two big knocks. The 34-year-old punched 111 in the first innings and followed it with another ton in the follow-on innings, his 10th first-class century.

Yusuf shared a 188-run stand in the first innings with his brother and Baroda skipper, Irfan Pathan after their team was reduced to 54/4 in response to the home team’s total of 551/8. This partnership was the highest between the Pathan brothers in professional cricket. Yusuf scored 111 runs in the 125 balls he faced with 13 fours and six sixes. However, both the brother got out in consecutive overs and Baroda were bowled out for just 302 and Madhya Pradesh enforcing the follow-on with a hope of bagging an outright win.

They were reduced to 68/7 in the 2nd innings with 181 more runs needed to avoid an innings defeat. Yusuf once again stepped up to save his side with another hundred in a span of 26 hours. The hard-hitting batsman paired up with the No.9 batsman Atit Sheth. Both the batsmen scored hundreds also sharing a double hundred stand to clear off the deficit for their team.

This is the 2nd time Yusuf scored centuries in both innings of a FC game with the first in the 2010 Duleep Trophy final where he scored hundred and an unbeaten double ton to help his team, West Zone, chase down a record 541-run total.

With centuries in both innings of this game, Yusuf Pathan became only the 6th Baroda player to amass centuries in both the innings of a first-class match. Prior to the 34-year-old, five players recorded this feat on six occasions all in the Ranji Trophy. Apart from Yusuf, only two other batsmen have scored twin centuries for Baroda in the last 66 years.

Centuries in both the innings of a first-class match for Baroda:

He took 122 balls for his hundred in the 2nd innings which is the most balls he has faced for a FC hundred; earlier his knock in the first innings where he got to the hundred in 113 balls was the most he ever took for a ton. The Baroda batsman has set some high standards while playing destructive knocks as he brought up seven out of his ten FC centuries in less than 100 balls.

Yusuf Pathan’s first-class centuries:

(Stats as on October 9, 2017)

(Yusuf Pathan’s score is updated till 100*)