Until this month, one number had topped the Ranji Trophy for 78 years: 443 not out. Then, on 19 October 2026, Chinmay Sutar made it a two-man club at the 400 mark. As a result, that single innings at Sovima reshuffled the highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy history. Here’s the full list, the stories behind each knock, and a look at where Sutar’s 400* now ranks.
Ten batters had passed 350 in this competition before Sutar arrived, and now there are eleven. Of course, a table of numbers only goes so far. So let’s walk through each entry, from Nimbalkar’s monster in 1948-49 to the big scores of the last decade. Along the way, you’ll see how the second spot among the highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy has changed hands.
The Highest Individual Scores in Ranji Trophy: Top 10
Here’s the current top ten, built from the Wikipedia and Cricinfo records lists plus Sutar’s new entry. Scores marked with an asterisk are unbeaten, while joint entries share a rank.
- B.B. Nimbalkar, 443*, Maharashtra v Kathiawar, 1948-49
- Chinmay Sutar, 400*, Mizoram v Nagaland, 2026-27
- Prithvi Shaw, 379, Mumbai v Assam, 2022-23
- Sanjay Manjrekar, 377, Bombay v Hyderabad, 1990-91
- MV Sridhar, 366, Hyderabad v Andhra, 1993-94
- Tanmay Agarwal, 366, Hyderabad v Arunachal Pradesh, 2023-24
- Vijay Merchant, 359*, Bombay v Maharashtra, 1943-44
- Samit Gohel, 359*, Gujarat v Odisha, 2016-17
- VVS Laxman, 353, Hyderabad v Karnataka, 1999-2000
- Cheteshwar Pujara, 352, Saurashtra v Karnataka, 2012-13
Just outside the top ten, Swapnil Gugale’s 351* for Maharashtra against Delhi in 2016-17 also deserves a mention. Still, look at the spread. While the list stretches from the 1940s to this month, Hyderabad and Bombay or Mumbai each appear three times. Because of that, a few cricketing cities keep showing up among the highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy history.
Nimbalkar’s 443*: The Score Nobody Could Touch
Bhausaheb Nimbalkar’s unbeaten 443 for Maharashtra against Kathiawar is still the benchmark. He made it in 1948-49, and since then it has stayed alone. In fact, Sportsadda notes that he finished nine runs short of Don Bradman’s 452 not out. That’s a whisker, so the near-miss became part of the legend.
Even so, the 443 isn’t just a footnote about Bradman. Yet it’s the biggest score the competition has ever seen, full stop. When fans talk about the highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy history, this is where they start. Sutar’s knock was always going to be measured against it, and it still stands 43 runs clear.
How the Record Changed Hands
The top spot has barely moved, but the chase for second has had real drama. Merchant’s 359* set the Ranji and Indian first-class mark in 1943-44. It sat at the front of the highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy records until Nimbalkar passed it. Since then, the runner-up spot has changed hands three times.
- 1943-44: Vijay Merchant, 359*, the best score in India at the time
- 1990-91: Sanjay Manjrekar, 377, then the second-highest score in the competition
- January 2023: Prithvi Shaw, 379, ending a record that had lasted 32 years
- October 2026: Chinmay Sutar, 400*, the current number two
Sutar’s 400*: The New Number Two
Now Sutar’s innings is the freshest entry among the highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy. Along the way, he faced 517 balls, hit 46 fours and seven sixes, and Mizoram declared at 581 for nine. Also, Cricinfo calls it the 12th score of 400 or more in first-class cricket. It also makes him only the second Indian to reach that mark, after Nimbalkar.
That said, what makes it extra special is the timing. Since this was only his second first-class match, his debut scores of 35 and 99 stand out. Meanwhile, the run-out that ended his second-innings effort one short of a hundred now looks like a prelude. Beyond that, the Chinmay Sutar’s 400 breakdown covers every session and the last-wicket stand.
Shaw and Manjrekar: Mumbai’s Big Two
Prithvi Shaw’s 379
Prithvi Shaw’s 379 came when Mumbai met Assam at Guwahati in a Group B match in 2022-23. He resumed on 240, then finished with 379 off 383 balls, including 49 fours. Alongside captain Ajinkya Rahane, he scored 262 of a 401-run third-wicket stand, according to IANS. Because of this, a record that had stood for around 32 years finally fell.
Sanjay Manjrekar’s 377
That older mark, of course, belonged to Sanjay Manjrekar. While batting for 666 minutes against Hyderabad in 1990-91, he made 377 for Bombay, per Wikipedia’s season page. As a result, Bombay piled up 855 for six, including 48 penalty runs. Although the match ended in a draw, the innings still became Ranji Trophy folklore.
The Hyderabad Trio and Other Giants
Meanwhile, Hyderabad fans can point to three entries on this list. MV Sridhar made 366 in 1993-94 while Hyderabad declared on a mammoth total against Andhra. Then came VVS Laxman, whose 353 against Karnataka arrived in the 1999-2000 semi-final. Before that, he had hit an unbeaten 301 against Bihar in 1997-98. As a result, Cricinfo called him the first player to score two triples in the competition.
Fast forward to January 2024, when Tanmay Agarwal made 366 against Arunachal Pradesh. He hit 26 sixes in that innings, which Wikipedia lists as a first-class world record. So the same state that produced Laxman and Sridhar also gave us an explosive knock.
Merchant, Gohel, Pujara and Gugale
Since the 1943-44 final, Vijay Merchant’s 359 not out has stood among the giants. Then Samit Gohel matched the number 73 years later, in the 2016-17 quarter-final against Odisha. After carrying his bat through the innings, he’d faced 723 balls, the Deccan Chronicle reported. Meanwhile, Cheteshwar Pujara made 352 for Saurashtra against Karnataka in 2012-13.
Just below Pujara, Swapnil Gugale made 351 not out for Maharashtra against Delhi in 2016-17. Together with Ankit Bawne, who finished on 258 not out, he added an unbeaten 594 for the third wicket. In short, the bottom of the top ten is hardly a quiet place.
Where the Giants Were Built
Venues matter too when you study the highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy. Wikipedia’s triple-century list says Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium has hosted six Ranji Trophy triples, more than any other ground. Two entries on this list came there: Manjrekar’s 377 and the Gugale and Bawne stand. Meanwhile, Merchant’s 359 came at the Brabourne Stadium in the 1943-44 final.
Individual names stand out as well. Ravindra Jadeja has reached 300 three times for Saurashtra, which is the most by any batter in the competition. Because of that, Sutar’s 400 isn’t just a one-off in a record book full of repeat performers. It’s a reminder that these innings need patience, fitness and a captain willing to keep batting.
What the Highest Individual Scores in Ranji Trophy Tell Us
Even so, a few patterns jump out. First, because only two batters have crossed 400 here, that barrier is truly rare. Second, Mumbai’s cricketing family has a strong claim, since Shaw and Manjrekar played for the city. Sutar did too before moving to Mizoram.
Third, big innings often arrive in unusual places, as the Plate Group shows. After all, Sutar’s 400 came away from any glamour fixture. That matters, since some fans assume domestic records only happen in the biggest games. Meanwhile, this season has produced more headline knocks. The Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Round 2 highlights feature Ayush Badoni’s 217 for Delhi. Before that, the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Round 1 results showed how strongly the season began.
Key Takeaways
- Top score: Nimbalkar’s 443 not out (1948-49) remains the biggest among the highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy.
- New entry: Sutar’s 400 not out (2026-27) ranks second in the list of highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy history.
- Mumbai link: Shaw (379) and Manjrekar (377) hold the third and fourth spots.
- Hyderabad link: Sridhar, Agarwal and Laxman each appear in the top ten.
- Rarity: Only two batters have reached 400 in the Ranji Trophy.
FAQs
What are the highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy history?
Bhausaheb Nimbalkar’s unbeaten 443 for Maharashtra against Kathiawar in 1948-49 leads the list, followed by Chinmay Sutar’s 400 not out.
Where does Chinmay Sutar’s 400 rank among the highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy?
It ranks second, behind Nimbalkar’s 443 not out and ahead of Prithvi Shaw’s 379.
Who scored 379 in the Ranji Trophy?
Prithvi Shaw scored 379 for Mumbai against Assam in the 2022-23 season.
How many batters have scored 400 in the Ranji Trophy?
Only two, Bhausaheb Nimbalkar and Chinmay Sutar, have scored 400 or more in a Ranji Trophy innings.
Which teams appear most often in the top ten?
Hyderabad and Bombay or Mumbai each appear three times in the list above.
Conclusion
The highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy history now carry a fresh name at number two. Sutar’s 400 has joined Nimbalkar’s 443 in a very small club, while Shaw and Manjrekar sit close behind. Because the list of highest individual scores in Ranji Trophy spans eight decades, it shows how rare big scores are. It also shows how different eras produced them. Because the competition is in its 92nd season, one new entry at this level is a major moment.
