Domestic Champion Statistician C Keshava Murthy pens an article on Agarwal’s heroics in Ranji Trophy Matches in 2017 exclusively for the netizens of hrgcricstats.com. Read on ……………
MA Agarwal has been phenomenal with his batting in this season. He has scored centuries against Maharashtra at Pune, against Delhi at Bangalore, against UP at Kanpur and against Railways at Delhi. – He has accounted for many memorable feats and achieved a couple of milestone this season which are enumerated below.
Born on 16th February 1991 at Bangalore Agarwal (full name – Mayank Anurag Agarwal), made his presence felt in his debut match itself 4 years ago in Ranji Trophy by scoring 90 against Jharkhand at Mysore in 2013-14. He made 380 runs in 8 matches at 34.54 in that season. He had a lean season in 2014-15 (121 in 4 matches at 20.16 with a lone half century) followed by a somewhat better performance in 2015-16 (417 runs in 5 matches at 52.12 with his maiden century and 3 half centuries) but again went into oblivion with a poor performance in 2016-17 (284 runs in 7 matches at 23.66 with 3 half centuries).
Rumours were floating whether he would retain his place this season, and he had a sigh of relief when he found his normal place in the playing eleven. Things were not all that rosy for him in the first two matches of the season. He was dismissed for 31 against Assam in the first match and collected a pair in the next match against Hyderabad at Shimoga He was selected for the next match against Maharashtra at Pune despite the failure in the first two matches. He made his presence felt in this game by scoring a triple century – 304 not out. The following are some of the statistical accreditations of MA Agarwal’s 304 not out.
He became the third Karnataka batsman to score a triple century after KL Rahul and KK Nair.
No |
Player |
Opposition |
Score |
Venue |
Season |
1 |
KL Rahul |
Uttar Pradesh |
337 |
Bangalore |
2014-15 |
2 |
KK Nair |
Tamilnadu |
328 |
Mumbai |
2014-15 |
3 |
MA Agarwal |
Maharashta |
304* |
Pune |
2017-18 |
MA Agarwal’s 304 not out represent the highest score by a Karnataka batsman against Maharashtra and he became the first Karnataka batsman to score a triple century against Maharashtra. The previous best was 264* by CM Gautam at Pune in 2012-13.
MA Agarwal’s 304 not out represent the 43rd occasion of a batsman scoring 300 plus runs in an innings in the history of Ranji Trophy. He also became the third batsman to score a triple hundred in the ongoing season 2017-18
No |
Player |
Runs |
Opposition |
Venue |
Ground |
1 |
P Chopra |
338 |
Him Pradesh |
Punjab |
Dharmasala |
2 |
GH Vihari |
302* |
Andhra |
Orissa |
Vizianagaram |
3 |
MA Agarwal |
303* |
Karnataks |
Maharashtra |
Pune |
The following table lists the triple hundreds scored by batsmen against Maharashtra. MA Agarwal became the fifth batsman to accomplish the feat and his knock represents the third highest score.
No |
Player |
Runs |
Team |
Opposition |
Venue |
Season |
1 |
VM Merchant |
359* |
Mumbai |
Maharashtra |
Mumbai |
1943-44 |
2 |
RR Panth |
308 |
Delhi |
Maharashtra |
Mumbai |
2016-17 |
3 |
MA Agarwal |
304* |
Karnataka |
Maharashtra |
Pune |
2017-18 |
4 |
AS Chopra |
301 |
Rajasthan |
Maharashtra |
Nasik |
2010-11 |
5 |
A Mukund |
300* |
Tamilnadu |
Maharashtra |
Nasik |
2008-09 |
MA Agarwal became the 33rd player From Karnataka to achieve the feat of scoring 2000 or more runs in the Ranji Trophy – He accomplished the feat of scoring 2000 runs when he was on 41 in his first innings knock of 173 against Railways at Delhi in his 30th match and 50th innings. At the end of this match, his run aggregate read 2266. The complete list of the players who have completed 2000 or more runs in Ranji Trophy for Karnataka is furnished below
No |
Runs |
Player |
Mat |
1 |
7126 |
BP Patel |
104 |
2 |
6845 |
RV Uthappa |
098 |
3 |
5655 |
GR Vishwanath |
093 |
4 |
4874 |
R Dravid |
048 |
5 |
4699 |
MK Pandey |
066 |
6 |
4679 |
J Arunkumar |
072 |
7 |
4288 |
Vijay Bharadwaj |
067 |
8 |
4179 |
SMH Kirmani |
097 |
9 |
4173 |
RMH Binny |
068 |
10 |
4116 |
SB Joshi |
117 |
11 |
4027 |
VS Thilak Naidu |
081 |
12 |
3907 |
CM Gautam |
079 |
13 |
3893 |
RL Barrington |
059 |
14 |
3824 |
KA Jeshwanth |
066 |
15 |
3759 |
CS Saldanha |
060 |
16 |
3731 |
STR Binny |
069 |
17 |
3453 |
S Somasundar |
068 |
18 |
3418 |
AV Jayaprakash |
070 |
19 |
3907 |
R Sudhakar Rao |
067 |
20 |
2913 |
KL Rahul |
029 |
21 |
2816 |
MR Srinivasprasad |
047 |
22 |
2622 |
KB Pawan |
043 |
23 |
2549 |
R Samarth |
033 |
24 |
2468 |
KK Nair |
032 |
25 |
2432 |
VS Thilak Naidu |
044 |
26 |
2361 |
Ganesh Satish |
039 |
27 |
2300 |
PV Shashikanth |
049 |
28 |
2266 |
MA Agarwal |
030 |
29 |
2251 |
V Subramanya |
044 |
30 |
2191 |
B Vijayakrishna |
074 |
31 |
2188 |
AA Verma |
036 |
32 |
2081 |
R Vinay Kumar |
097 |
33 |
2071 |
S Vishwanath |
045 |
MA Agarwal achieved another milestone during his second innings knock of 134 against Railways at Delhi. He completed 1000 runs in 2017-18 season when he was on 70. At the end of this game his run aggregate read 1064. He is the only batsman to accomplish the feat this season. He became the third Karnataka batsman to aggregate 1000 plus runs in a Ranji Trophy season. Others are Vijay Bharadwaj and KL Rahul
No |
Runs |
Player |
Mat |
Season |
1 |
1280 |
Vijay Bharadwaj |
10 |
1998-99 |
2 |
1064 |
MA Agarwal |
06 |
2017-18 |
3 |
1033 |
KL Rahul |
10 |
2013-14 |
MA Agarwal became the 18th player to aggregate 1000 plus runs in a season in the history of Ranji Trophy. The following table lists all the eighteen batsmen
No |
Runs |
Mts |
Player |
Team |
HS |
Season |
100-50 |
1 |
1415 |
09 |
VVS Laxman |
Hyderabad |
353 |
1999-00 |
8-0 |
2 |
1321 |
10 |
SS Iyer |
Mumbai |
200 |
2015-16 |
4-7 |
3 |
1310 |
10 |
PK Panchal |
Gujarat |
314* |
2016-17 |
5-4 |
4 |
1280 |
10 |
Vijay Bharadwaj |
Karnataka |
200* |
1998-99 |
4-7 |
5 |
1260 |
10 |
W Jaffer |
Mumbai |
301 |
2008-09 |
4-5 |
6 |
1223 |
11 |
KM Jadhav |
Maharashtra |
204 |
2013-14 |
6-2 |
7 |
1089 |
10 |
AM Rahane |
Mumbai |
201 |
2008-09 |
4-5 |
8 |
1075 |
08 |
S Sriram |
Tamilnadu |
288 |
1999-00 |
5-1 |
9 |
1066 |
07 |
DS Jadhav |
Maharashtra |
251 |
2003-04 |
4-3 |
10 |
1064 |
06 |
MA Agarwal |
Karnataka |
304* |
2017-18 |
5-1 |
11 |
1037 |
08 |
JJ Martin |
Baroda |
242 |
1998-99 |
5-2 |
12 |
1034 |
10 |
R Lamba |
Delhi |
250 |
1996-97 |
3-4 |
13 |
1034 |
10 |
RD Bist |
Rajasthan |
176 |
2011-12 |
4-4 |
14 |
1033 |
08 |
AK Sharma |
Delhi |
220* |
1996-97 |
5-3 |
15 |
1033 |
10 |
KL Rahul |
Karnataka |
158 |
2013-14 |
3-4 |
16 |
1018 |
07 |
WV Raman |
Tamilnadu |
313 |
1988-89 |
3-1 |
17 |
1008 |
05 |
RS Modi |
Mumbai |
245* |
1944-45 |
5-1 |
18 |
1004 |
11 |
HH Khadiwale |
Maharashtra |
262 |
2013-14 |
3-4 |
MA Agarwal scored centuries in both innings – 173* and 134 against Railways at Delhi. He became the second Karnataka batsman to accomplish the feat of scoring twin centuries in a match. Prior to MA Agarwal, Kunal Kapoor who had scored 106 and 100* against Haryana at Hubballi in 2012-13 Agarwal also became only the fifth batsman to score century in each innings against Railways in Ranji Trophy
No |
Player |
FI |
SI |
Team |
Oppn |
Venue |
Season |
1 |
S Madanlal |
140 |
100 |
Delhi |
Railways |
Delhi |
1980-81 |
2 |
Padam Shastri |
159 |
101 |
Rajasthan |
Railways |
Kota |
1984-85 |
3 |
Ajay Sharma |
136 |
182 |
Delhi |
Railways |
Delhi |
1995-96 |
4 |
Amay Khurasiya |
105 |
118* |
Mad Pradesh |
Railways |
Delhi |
2000-01 |
5 |
Mayank Agarwal |
173* |
134 |
Karnataka |
Railways |
Delhi |
2017-18 |
MA Agarwal became the first batsman in the history of Ranji Trophy to score five hundreds in four consecutive matches. His scores this season read thus
No |
Opponent |
FI |
SI |
Venue |
Season |
1 |
Maharashtra |
304* |
|
Pune |
2017-18 |
2 |
Delhi |
176 |
23 |
Bengaluru |
2017-18 |
3 |
Uttar Pradesh |
90 |
133* |
Kanpur |
2017-18 |
4 |
Railways |
173* |
134 |
Delhi |
2017-18 |
MA Agarwal became the third batsman to score five centuries in consecutive matches in a season after RS Modi of Mumbai and AK Sharma of Delhi. It is noted with interest that all the three batsmen have scored at least one double century, while MA Agarwal is the only batsman to score a triple century. Modi and AK Sharma scored five centuries in five consecutive matches, while MA Agarwal scored five centuries in four consecutive matches.
RS Modi of Mumbai |
No |
Opponent |
FI |
SI |
Season |
1 |
Sind |
160 |
|
1944-45 |
2 |
Western India |
210 |
|
1944-45 |
3 |
Baroda |
245* |
031* |
1944-45 |
4 |
N India |
113 |
|
1944-45 |
5 |
Holkar |
98 |
151 |
1944-45 |
AK Sharma of Delhi |
No |
Opponent |
FI |
SI |
Season |
1 |
Tamilnadu |
128 |
|
1996-97 |
2 |
Railways |
220* |
|
1996-97 |
3 |
Baroda |
118 |
010 |
1996-97 |
4 |
Maharashtra |
144 |
|
1996-97 |
5 |
Mumbai |
176 |
|
1996-97 |
|
MA Agarwal |
|
|
|
No |
Opponent |
FI |
SI |
Season |
1 |
Maharashtra |
304* |
|
2017-18 |
2 |
Delhi |
176 |
23 |
2017-18 |
3 |
Uttar Pradesh |
90 |
133* |
2017-18 |
4 |
Railways |
173* |
134 |
2017-18 |
MA Agarwal has scored five centuries in four consecutive matches and is the only Karnataka batsman to accomplish the feat. The following table lists the Karnataka batsmen who have scored three centuries in three consecutive matches
No |
Players |
Season |
Cs |
Runs |
Oppn |
Runs |
Oppn |
Runs |
Oppn |
1 |
BP Patel |
1977-78 – 1978/79 |
03 |
100 |
UP |
100 |
Kerala |
126 |
And |
2 |
RMH Binny |
1982/83 – 1983-84 |
03 |
115 + 045 |
Bom |
101*+ 19 |
Kerala |
14 + 108* |
|
3 |
R Dravid |
1990/91 – 1991/92 |
03 |
134 |
Ben |
126 |
Goa |
128 |
Ker |
4 |
R Dravid |
1997/98 – 1999/00 |
03 |
215 |
UP |
210 |
Hyd |
71 + 149 |
Raj |
5 |
KK Nair |
2013-14 |
03 |
105 + 008 |
Del |
100 + 25 |
UP |
151* |
Pun |
6 |
RV Uthappa |
2015-16 |
03 |
011 + 160 |
Raj |
148 |
Ori |
148 |
Del |
MA Agarwal became the fourth Karnataka player to score a century against Railways in Ranji Trophy and his twin centuries provide the sixth occasion of a Karnataka batsman scoring a century against Railways. All such occasions are tabulated below
No |
Player |
Runs |
Venue |
Season |
1 |
Vijay Bharadwaj |
164 |
Bangalore |
1997-98 |
2 |
RL Barrington |
100* |
Delhi |
2000-01 |
3 |
RV Uthappa |
131 |
Bangalore |
2008-09 |
4 |
RV Uthappa |
117 |
Delhi |
2011-12 |
5 |
MA Agarwal |
173 & 104* |
Delhi |
2017-18 |
MA Agarwal was also involved in three three figure partnerships for the first wicket with R Samarth to provide the first occasion of the same pair posting three three figure partnership for the first wicket in the same season.
No |
Partners |
Runs |
Wkt |
Opposition |
Venue |
Season |
1 |
MA Agarwal, R Samarth |
259 |
1st |
Maharashtra |
Pune |
2017-18 |
2 |
MA Agarwal, R Samarth |
262* |
1st |
Uttar Pradesh |
Kanpur |
2017-18 |
3 |
MA Agarwal, R Samarth |
117 |
1st |
Railwaya |
Delhi |
2017-18 |
Apart from the three three figure partnerships mentioned above, Agarwal also figures in four other three figure listed below. Thus he has figured in seven three figure partnerships in this season
No |
Partners |
Runs |
Wkt |
Opposition |
Venue |
Season |
1 |
MA Agarwal, R Samarth |
259 |
1st |
Maharashtra |
Pune |
2017-18 |
2 |
MA Agarwal, R Samarth |
262* |
1st |
Uttar Pradesh |
Kanpur |
2017-18 |
3 |
MA Agarwal, R Samarth |
117 |
1st |
Railways |
Delhi |
2017-18 |
4 |
MA Agarwal, R Samarth |
112 |
2nd |
Delhi |
Bangalore |
2017-18 |
5 |
MA Agarwal, KK Nair |
279 |
3rd |
Maharashtra |
Pune |
2017-18 |
6 |
MA Agarwal, MK Pandey |
136 |
4th |
Delhi |
Bangalore |
2017-18 |
7 |
MA Agarwal, MK Pandey |
229 |
4th |
Railways |
Delhi |
2017-19 |
MA Agarwal has figured in four double century partnerships out of five 200 plus partnerships posted by Karnataka batsman in a single season. He has equaled the record of Vijay Bharadwaj who has also been involved in four double century partnerships out of six double century partnerships recorded in 1998-99 season.
The following table lists the 200 plus runs partnerships posted by Karnataka batsmen in 2017-18
No |
Partners |
Runs |
Wkt |
Opposition |
Venue |
Season |
1 |
D Nischal, MK Pandey |
354 |
4th |
Uttar Pradesh |
Kanpur |
2017-19 |
2 |
MA Agarwal, KK Nair |
279 |
3rd |
Maharashtra |
Pune |
2017-18 |
3 |
MA Agarwal, R Samarth |
262* |
1st |
Uttar Pradesh |
Kanpur |
2017-18 |
4 |
MA Agarwal, R Samarth |
259 |
1st |
Maharashtra |
Pune |
2017-18 |
5 |
MA Agarwal, MK Pandey |
229 |
4th |
Railways |
Delhi |
2017-19 |
{All Stats as at the end of the gaem between Karnataka and Railways at Delhi 28.11.2017}