In a dominant exhibition of batting tenacity and leadership, Rajat Patidar, captain of the Madhya Pradesh cricket team, recorded his first double-century in first-class cricket. He did it in their Ranji Trophy 2025–26 opener against the Punjab cricket team; his side seized complete control. With 26 boundaries, Patidar’s undefeated 205* off around 332 balls arrived as Madhya Pradesh reached 519 for 8 at stumps on the third day: after Punjab’s first innings total of 232, securing a lead of 287 runs.
The batter came in at a shaky 155 for 4 and slowly reconstructed the innings. After crucial stands with Saransh Jain and Sagar Solanki, a significant collaboration of 147 runs with Venkatesh Iyer helped alter the momentum. Arshad Khan (60) helped Rajat Patidar to add an undefeated 95 in the lower order, hence enabling the team to cross the 500 threshold. This double-ton marks a milestone in Patidar’s domestic journey. In first-class cricket, his personal best was 196.
The leadership role for Madhya Pradesh of the 32-year-old started off high as he was just appointed captain for every format, drawing upon a successful year, where he directed his IPL franchise and senior domestic teams. From a performance perspective, the knock emphasises his form in the longer format and could make his case for a recall to more prominent recognition stronger. Notwithstanding valiant efforts from Punjab’s bowlers, especially Prerit Dutta with four wickets for 145 and skipper Naman Dhir grabbing three for 110, they failed to dislodge Patidar or regain dominance of the competition.
Holding the reins today, Madhya Pradesh has such a commanding position in Ranji Trophy. Poised for them to press the advantage, the match calls for securing a large lead and aiming to force a result rather than settle for a draw. Patidar’s innings not only improve his own credentials but also establish a tone of purpose for the team’s effort. Rajat Patidar has delivered a clear message: he is prepared to transform potential into performance in a domestic season that started with great expectations for him as a batter and captain.
