Hyderabad opener Tanmay Agarwal smashed the fastest triple-hundred in the history of first-class cricket and also broke the previous record in a Ranji Trophy Plate Group match against Arunachal Pradesh on Friday. He reached the milestone off only 147 balls, beating the earlier record of South African cricketer Marco Marais, who did it in 191 balls during the game between Border and Western Province as well.
Tanmay’s undefeated 323 off just 160 balls helped Hyderabad reach 529/1 in just 48 overs at the end of the day’s play whereas Arunachal scored 172 in 39.1 overs as well. He scored 33 fours and 21 sixes, adding 449 for the opening stand with Rahul Singh, who smashed 185 in just 105 balls as well.
“I feel good and grateful. After I completed 150, I just started hitting and luck was in my favour. I always found middle of the bat and balls went out. I just kept batting and kept hitting,” Tanmay Agarwal told PTI. “After the end of the day’s play… From teammates to my family, everyone is very happy.”
Agarwal, who already has 11 first-class centuries before this record, added, “When you compare with Elite teams, this kind of feat is not possible, but I didn’t think about quality of opposition and kept playing the way I had to. The world record just happened. Nothing was planned. There were no plans that I would do this and that. It just happened.”
Magnificent! 🤯
Hyderabad's Tanmay Agarwal has hit the fastest triple century in First-Class cricket, off 147 balls, against Arunachal Pradesh in the @IDFCFIRSTBank #RanjiTrophy match 👌
He's unbeaten on 323*(160), with 33 fours & 21 sixes in his marathon knock so far 🙌 pic.twitter.com/KhfohK6Oc8
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 26, 2024
Meanwhile, the highest Indian first-class score is 443 by BB Nimbalkar, who scored it in a Ranji Trophy match between Maharashtra and Kathiawar. The world record for the highest individual first-class score is 501* by none other than the legendary Brian Lara for Warwickshire in an English county game against Durham.
“No, I am not because I don’t know how much longer we will be batting on Saturday. As long as I bat tomorrow, I will try to play like I started the innings today. If it happens, it happens. I don’t have in mind that I have to achieve this or that,” Tanmay Agarwal concluded. “I have had a lot of coaches over the years not one coach.”
