New Delhi:
Wasim Jaffer has cemented his place as one of the greatest players in the Ranji Trophy by becoming the first player to reach 11000 runs in India’s prestigious domestic first-class tournament. The right-hander achieved the feat in Vidarbha’s game against Baroda at the VCA stadium in Nagpur on day two of the tournament. Jaffer’s magnificent 153 and centuries from Faiz Fazal (151) and Akshay Wadkar (102) put the 2017/18 Ranji champions in a strong position against Baroda in Nagpur. Ever since he made his debut in 1996/97, Jaffer has amassed plenty of runs in first-class cricket, be it the Ranji Trophy or the Irani Trophy.
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In 2017/18, Jaffer played a vital part in Vidarbha’s first-ever Ranji Trophy title. The right hander, who had played for India from 2000 to 2008, arrived in the Vidarbha side as a player and as mental conditioning coach and created a winning mentality in the side.Against seven-time champions Delhi in the final, Jaffer stepped up to the plate. With Vidarbha trailing by 162 runs and three wickets down, he raised a 73-run stand fourth wicket stand. His 78 laid the base for Akshay Wadkar’s 133 that took the match away from Delhi. His tally of 595 runs at an average of 54.09 in the Ranji season made him the fourth-highest run-getter for Vidarbha, after Faiz Fazal, Sanjay Ramaswamy and Ganesh Satish.
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Vidarbha became the seventh team to win Ranji Trophy in their maiden final, after Mumbai (1934-35), Nawanagar (now Saurashtra/1936-37), Hyderabad (1937-38), Maharashtra (1939-40), Baroda (1942-43) and Western India (1943-44).
Jaffer left his ‘home team’ Mumbai after 19 seasons, which included eight Ranji Trophy triumphs, for Vidarbha, it appeared the end of his career was near. The right-hander has a 100 percent record in Ranji finals, having been part of the winning side nine times. In the 2018 Irani Trophy, Jaffer almost missed out on a double ton and his 286 was more than enough for Vidarbha to clinch the trophy against Rest of India.
With over 18000 first-class runs and with yet another milestone ticked off the list, Jaffer’s contribution to the growth of domestic cricket in India makes him a magnificent cricketer.
