UTTAR PRADESH :
The discarded Indian batsman Mohammad Kaif, yesterday, got inducted to the elite list of players to score 10000 runs in first-class cricket. He achieved this milestone in his debut game for Chhattisgarh against Tripura in the first round of Ranji Trophy. Before this game, Kaif was just 26 runs away from achieving this record. He scored a total of 27 runs in this game, one more what was needed to get on this list.
The good thing was that the debutant Chhattisgarh team cruised to a superb win over Tripura. They were asked to chase a tiny total of 13 in the final innings of the game which they chased down a day before the game was scheduled to get over but they missed out on a bonus point as they lost one wicket on their way to this total.
Mohammed Kaif, in his in 19 years of the first-class career has played 178 first-class games in which he has scored 10001 runs at an average of 39.84. He last played a Test match for India in the year 2006 against West Indies. Since then, he has been out of the team, though chances of his comeback grew in the year 2013 when he was selected for India A but that was just a touch and go moment for him.
Kaif is not just the only batsman to earn honors in the first round of Ranji Trophy as Gujarat Wicketkeeper batsman; Parthiv Patel also entered an elite list by crossing the 9000 run mark in first-class cricket. Patel needed just 6 runs to cross this mark; he went on to score 20 runs in the game. He might not be impressed with his score but a double century from Manpreet Juneja and a century from Indian spinner Axar Patel ensured a smile on his face as Gujarat went on to eclipse the mammoth total of 544, gaining the first innings lead against Baroda earning those 3 crucial points.
Parthiv Patel is still one of the aspirants who hope to make a comeback at least in Test cricket. He has a golden opportunity as he still has 7 matches to go his way and can make a comeback if he performs there.
source: http://www.sportzwiki.com / SportzWiki / Home> Cricket> Cricket Events 2016> Cricket News Today / by Rishav Narang / October 10th, 2016