Ranji Trophy 2023-24: Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan, first ever 11th man to score century, recalls innings after Tushar Deshpande knock

Tushar Deshpande, batting at No.11 scored a century (123, 129b, 10×4, 8×6) and built the second-highest last-wicket partnership (232) alongside Tanush Kotian in Ranji cricket for Mumbai against Baroda in the quarterfinal of the ongoing Ranji Trophy on Tuesday.

Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan, former Tamil Nadu opener and the first-ever 11th man in Ranji to score a century, recalled his innings over the phone.

Sivaramakrishnan scored a 122-ball 115 (17×4, 3×6) in the pre-quarterfinal versus Delhi at the IIT-Chemplast ground here in 2001.

“This is something which doesn’t happen (at all). Mine happened out of chance only. Because, I still remember, I wasn’t supposed to play that game. (Captain) Robin (Singh), had in fact told me the previous day that I was to help out with the fielding and all. So, I was not prepared to play at all. And then, the next morning, there was some heated discussion, and I think Ashish Kapoor at 9.15 a.m. came and told me that I was playing. I heard it as ‘You’re not playing.’

ALSO READ | Ranji Trophy 2023-24 quarterfinals: Kotian, Deshpande script record-breaking feat as Mumbai enters semis

“So, till 11 a.m. or 12 p.m. on the first day, I thought I wasn’t playing! Then, suddenly Robin came and asked who should bat at No. 10 and 11 between M.R. Shrinivas and me. That’s actually when I knew I was playing!

File Photo: Tamil Nadu’s Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan after scoring century vs Delhi in 2001
| Photo Credit:
BALAJI N/ The Hindu

“M.R. Shrinivas was making his debut that game. Some senior player said that M.R. is a more compact player and that I would just throw the bat. So, I was sent in at No. 11. Otherwise, maybe if I had gone at No. 10, it wouldn’t have been the same. Between 25 and 80 (runs), something happened – everything I hit just connected well. By the time I knew I was on 85, I thought that if I played for some time, I’ll get a hundred. That’s how it happened,” he said.

ALSO READ | Happy we could play to the merit of the ball: Deshpande after scripting history with Kotian in Ranji quarters

After the innings, he was in for a pleasant surprise that made the knock even more special for him. “I got the century with Sachin Tendulkar’s bat! (Sadagopan) Ramesh was playing for India at that time. His brother (Sadagopan) Mahesh had brought that bat for that match. After I scored the hundred, he told me, ‘This is a very special bat, because Sachin gave that bat to Ramesh and you used that bat to score a century!’”

That innings was crucial in Vidyut transforming into an opener. His spin bowling took a backseat, he claims.

“I was a bowler. But I always knew I had the potential to bat. But I never dreamt of getting a hundred lower down the order, let alone at No. 11! If you scored 30-40 runs at that time for the team’s cause, it was considered a bonus, that’s all. That how our thought process was at that time. But the hundred came, and it just changed things for me.

“There was nothing to lose as a batter (at No. 11). Actually, it was a very nice time to bat because there was no responsibility. You can just throw the bat, you may get out. I can hit some big sixes, I can just throw my wicket away. At that point, that freedom was there.

“Then, that transition was very difficult; from a lower-order batter to becoming the opening batter, because the thought process was completely different – against the new ball, you had to leave balls, you had to play responsibly. That transition was very challenging. But as a lower-order batter, I really enjoyed batting, because I could hit the ball a long way and at the same time, there was no pressure to score runs.”