The current Ranji Trophy winners Vidarbha reigned supreme on the day two of the 56th Irani Cup match as they raised an astronomical total of 598/3 by stumps as Rest of India bowlers toiled hard on the lifeless Nagpur track. The veteran batsman Wasim Jaffer collected much-deserved praise for his monumental innings of 285* which shattered a bunch of records.
Vidarbha Captain Faiz Fazal won the toss and chose to bat first. He undertook the task of proving his decision right personally and set up a great platform with his opening partner RR Sanjay. The prolific duo put together a partnership of 101 runs for the first wicket.
The man walking in next was an institution in itself, the man who holds the record for the most runs and the most centuries in the Ranji Trophy history, Wasim Jaffer. The batsman with an attitude that of a monk kept going calmly about his business from one end and ended the day not out 113.
Wasim Jaffer is an inspiration. At 40, has scored a brilliant double hundred against a Rest of India attack also compromising Ashwin.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) March 15, 2018
Really good to see Wasim Jaffer score another 💯 with so much ease. Its also great to see him so committed even at this stage of his career. #inspiration
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) March 14, 2018
Today morning, Jaffer resumed from where he had paused yesterday evening. Together with Ganesh Sathish, he stitched a partnership of 289 runs. Sathish got out but Jaffer was irremovable at the other end. He will resume scoring from 285 tomorrow morning.
The 40-year old right-handed batsman also became the sixth Indian to register 18,000 first-class runs. During the course of his unbeaten 285, Wasim Jaffer also surpassed Murali Vijay’s score of 266 to seize the record for the highest individual score in the Irani Trophy. He also became the first Indian and the oldest sub-continental batsman, at 40, to score 250 or more in a first-class inning.
Irani Trophy: 40-year-old Wasim Jaffer, batting like a 30-year-old maestro in his pomp, with the run hunger of a 20-year-old eager to make his mark. He's unbeaten 178 currently and has passed 18000 first class runs
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 15, 2018
Wasim Jaffer in his second first-class made a triple century in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai. Life will come a full circle for him if he manages to score a triple century tomorrow against Rest of India team. The golden career demands a golden end.
