Shaw hits the third-fastest double century in Ranji Trophy history

Shaw hits the third-fastest double century in Ranji Trophy history

Ranji Trophy 2025: Maharashtra opener Prithvi Shaw smashed a double century off 141 balls against Chandigarh in the Ranji Trophy Group B match in Chandigarh on Monday, the third fastest double century in the Ranji Trophy history.

Prithvi Shaw smashed a brilliant double century in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 222 runs off just 141 balls. It was the third-fastest double hundred in the tournament’s history. Only Tanmay Agarwal and Ravi Shastri have reached the milestone quicker. Shastri’s knock in 1984-85 also included six sixes in an over, a record that still stands.

This was Shaw’s first century for Maharashtra and his 14th in first-class cricket. His innings included 29 fours and five sixes, helping Maharashtra score at a rapid rate of 6.9 runs per over. They declared their second innings at 359/3. Chandigarh responded well and ended the day at 129/1, needing 335 more runs.

Shaw’s performance was a strong comeback after a tough start to the season. He had scored just 8 runs in the first innings of this match. Earlier, he began his Maharashtra debut with a four-ball duck against Kerala but bounced back with a quick 75 in the second innings of that game.

His recent form is a turnaround from a difficult 2024-25 season. Shaw was dropped from the Mumbai team due to poor fitness and discipline. He also went unsold at the IPL mega auction. But before this season, he worked hard on his fitness and diet with a personal trainer and dietitian. He showed signs of improvement during the Buchi Babu Invitational tournament, where he scored a century in his first match.

Shaw said the move to Maharashtra was easy because he already knew many players. He had played with captain Ankit Bawne and Ruturaj Gaikwad in India A. He also mentioned how welcoming the team was, including young players like Arshin Kulkarni and Sachin Dhas.

While Shaw may not be in the running for an India comeback just yet, his performances could catch the selectors’ attention. With Abhimanyu Easwaran out of favour and other contenders like Padikkal and Gaikwad now batting in the middle order, Shaw could be considered as a backup opener.

Shaw last played for India in July 2021 during the Sri Lanka tour. His most recent Test was in Adelaide during the famous 2020-21 series against Australia.