Delhi batter Yash Dhull (left) in action against Tamil Nadu during a Ranji Trophy 2021-22 group match in Guwahati on Sunday.
Highlights
- Indian great Nari Contractor first achieved the feat during 1952/53; followed by Virag Awate in 2012
- Dhull earlier scored 113 (150 balls; 18 fours) in the first innings on Day 1
- Dhull added over 200 runs for the opening wicket with captain Dhruv Shorey
India U19 captain Yash Dhull continued with his fine form with a back-to-back century on his Ranji Trophy debut as his side Delhi faced Tamil Nadu on Day 4 of the season in Guwahati on Sunday. The 19-year-old batter becomes only the third Ranji player to achieve the feat behind Indian great Nari Contractor (152 & 102*) for Gujarat in 1952/53 & Virag Awate (126 & 112) for Maharashtra in 2012/13.
Dhull earlier scored 113 (150 balls; 18 fours) in the first innings on Day 1 and at the time of writing this report, he was not out on 103 (200 balls) with the Delhi scoreboard reading 224/0. The team's captain Dhruv Shorey was not out at the other end at 107.
Earlier on Thursday, the debutant, who led India to the U19 World Cup victory, took just 133 deliveries to reach the three-digit figure.
Dhull, who was asked to open the innings for Delhi, helped the Capital side recover from trouble after Tamil Nadu pacer Sandeep Warrier reduced them to 7/2 in 3 overs.
Dhull then added 60 runs for the third wicket with senior batter Nitish Rana before the latter fell to M Mohammed in the 13th over with 67 runs on the board.
Dhull, was bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 50 lakh during IPL 2022 auction last weekend, then had a match-saving 119-run stand with another southpaw in Jonty Sidhu to take Delhi close to 200 runs.
The partnership ended in the second session of the day when Mohammed ended Dhull's innings at 113 (150 balls; 18 fours)
At the time of writing this report, Delhi were 191/4 with Sidhu not out on 50 and had a new partner in wicket-keeper batter Anju Rawat (1*) at the other end.
Earlier on Sunday during IPL auction, Dhull, who had a base price of Rs 20 lakh, didn't meet the expectations of high bids as he led India to their fifth title in the Under-19 World Cup campaign. His side defeated England U19 during the final in West Indies.
The local boy was bought in by the outfit with little discomfort as Punjab Kings opted out following initial bids.
Besides the captaincy, Dhull is a solid batsman at the number 4 position. In the junior WC, Dhull aggregated 229 across four innings at a phenomenal average of 76.33. He smashed one century and one fifty at a strike rate of 85.44. Dhull finished 11th in the list of most runs scored by a batsman in this tournament. Had Dhull not been inflicted with Covid amid the tournament, he would have finished in the top-three run-getters in the Under-19 World Cup.
The young lad from Delhi had earlier opined that he is unbothered by which team picks him up in the cash-rich league.
In a recent interview, the quality batter said: “I am not thinking about the IPL auction now. IPL is a big platform and has helped Indian cricketers to take their game to an all-new level. I am ready to play for any team, whoever will pick me.”
