Goa batter Snehal Kauthankar hit the second-fastest First-Class triple hundred by an Indian player during the match against Arunachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 plate group match in Porvorim, on Thursday. The 29-year-old Kauthankar struck his first triple hundred in just 205 balls against a helpless Arunachal attack, surpassing his previous best of 250 from last week's match against Mizoram.
Driven by 43 fours and four sixes, Kauthankar was undefeated at 305 going into lunch on day two, with his partner Kashyap Bakle still at 280 not out.
Tanmay Agarwal of Hyderabad launched a similar attack on Arunachal last year. Agarwal reached a triple hundred in the shortest time in FC history, requiring 147 deliveries. Agarwal also achieved the fastest double-hundred in first-class cricket in 119 deliveries, shattering a 39-year-old record held by Indian great Ravi Shastri.
By the way, after a 191-ball triple ton for Border against Eastern Province in 2017–18, Kauthankar is currently third on the all-time First Class list, with only Marco Marais of South Africa separating him and Agarwal.
Ranji Trophy's record partnership
Kauthankar came in at No. 4 and formed an incredible partnership with Kashyap Bakle, who is also getting close to a triple hundred, as he batted in response to Arunachal's meager first-inning score of 84. After reaching 200 in just 146 balls—the fourth-fastest in the Ranji Trophy—Kauthankar roared to 300. As of this writing, Bakle and Kauthankar's partnership for the third wicket stood at 577 runs, which is tied for second place in Ranji Trophy history.
Highest Ranji Trophy partnerships
594* – Swapnil Sugale and Ankeet Bawane – Maharashtra v Delhi- 2016/17
577* – Kashyap Bakle and Snehal Kauthankar – Goa v Arunachal Pradesh – 2024-25*
577 – Vijay Hazare and Gul Mohammad – Baroda v Holkar – 1946-47
