Ranji Trophy 2017-18: 10 unknown names who excelled this season
Like every year, this Ranji season has thrown up new names who performed beyond expectations, excelling in their respective departments to earn the limelight of the cricketing fraternity.
While modern cricketers grow up in the arms of T20 cricket, achievements in first-class cricket remain of top most priority and some young cricketers have ensured that they did not go unnoticed.
#1 Anmolpreet Singh, Punjab
753 runs at 125.50 in 5 matches
A graduate of the Punjab Under-16 and the Under-19 sides, top order bat Anmolpreet Singh first burst onto the big stage by carving out a sensible innings of 72 for India in the semi-final of the Under-19 World Cup in 2016, though India fell short in the final against West Indies. Before that, a respectable contribution of 41 against Namibia in the same tournament had shown glimpses of what was to come.
Soon, Anmolpreet earned a place in the Punjab side, making his List-A debut in the 2016-17 Vijay Hazare Trophy and stroking a rapid 58 off 41 balls, a knock including 4 fours and 3 sixes. Though that effort went in vain, he stepped out as a Ranji debutant the following season; and a 50 in his first match acted as a spark of three centuries to come.
A knock of 113 in an innings win over Goa, then 267 at over a run a ball against Chattisgarh in yet another innings victory and 252* against Services in a spirited draw announced his potential.
#2 Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Saurashtra
34 wickets at 26.02 in 6 matches
Left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja has been a key member of the Saurashtra side since his debut in the 2012-13 Ranji season. In the company of his namesake Ravindra Jadeja, he has formed a very useful pair of left-arm spin for a team dependent on their batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara, Sheldon Jackson and new recruit Robin Uthappa.
In 2015-16, his fourth season in the top flight of domestic cricket, Jadeja shot up the wicket-takers' list by claiming 27 scalps at merely 24.40 in only 8 matches. That was a season in which Saurashtra made it to the final, only to be toppled by heavyweights Mumbai in pursuit of their maiden Ranji title.
Just two years later, Jadeja repeated the magic by going a step ahead and picking 34 wickets at 26.02 in 6 games. Though this time Saurashtra did not make it to the quarter-final, Jadeja made a strong case for himself by showing that it is not always about the other Jadeja.