Stats: Devendra Bundela breaks the record for most appearances in Ranji Trophy
Madhya Pradesh captain Devendra Bundela has broken the all-time Ranji Trophy record of most appearances in the eighth round Ranji Trophy 2016/17 clash between Madhya Pradesh and Baroda. Bundela is playing in his 137th Ranji encounter and that has helped him go past Amol Muzumdar for the record.
It was only a matter of time before he took the record all by himself and it happened earlier today in the next round of Ranji games where Madhya Pradesh are facing Baroda at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association stadium in Dharamsala. On a historic occasion, he scored a fifty to help his side reach 217.
In the previous round of Ranji games, in which he equalled an all-time Ranji Trophy record, the Madhya Pradesh captain also reached a personal milestone. Bundela scored his highest first-class score against Railways at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi in the seventh round of Ranji Trophy games of this year’s tournament.
After Railways had won the toss and elected to bat first, they could only manage 371 thanks largely to Ankit Sharma’s six-wicket haul and after that Bundela took over with the bat. With his team struggling at 164/5, the captain added 240 for the sixth wicket with Shubham Sharma and in the process scored 188 on his milestone match.
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In the illustrious history of the Ranji Trophy, only 35 players have managed to breach the mark of 100 games in the tournament. Considering the amount of domestic cricket that is played every year, that is certainly a startling statistic.
Among players who are still active in the Ranji Trophy, only four players have played more than 100 matches. Of those four, two have played for India while the other two haven’t.
Mohammad Kaif may have last played for India a decade ago but he is Chhattisgarh‘s captain in the Ranji Trophy and has played 107 Ranji matches while Subramaniam Badrinath, who has played 108 Ranji matches and scored over 10,000 first-class runs at an average of over 50 was unlucky to have played just 10 matches for India.
Bundela, who is the joint-leading appearance maker is the third while Mithun Manhas, who is just two games (135) behind Bundela and could also get the record for most appearances in Ranji Trophy is the last of the active players who have played more than 100 Ranji matches.
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Here are the top ten players with the most appearances in the Ranji Trophy.
Players with most appearances in Ranji Trophy
| No. | Name | Ranji career | Number of games |
| 1. | Devendra Bundela | 1995/96 – Current | 137* |
| 2. | Amol Muzumdar | 1993/94 – 2013/14 | 136 |
| 3. | Mithun Manhas | 1997/98 – Current | 135 |
| 4. | Wasim Jaffer | 1996/97 – 2015/16 | 129 |
| 5. | Rashmi Ranjan Parida | 1994/95 – 2014/15 | 126 |
| 6. | Sanjay Bangar | 1993/94 – 2012/13 | 125 |
| 7. | Sairaj Bahutule | 1991/92 – 2012/13 | 124 |
| 8. | Rajinder Goel | 1958/59 – 1984/85 | 123 |
| 9. | Sitanshu Kotak | 1992/93 – 2013/14 | 121 |
| 10. | Yere Goud | 1994/95 – 2011/12 | 119 |