World record missed: Goa’s Kauthankar & Bakle miss Sangakkara-Jayawardene record due to a mistimed call
Snehal Kauthankar and Kashyap Bakle etched their names in Ranji Trophy history with a 606-run partnership for the third wicket against Arunachal Pradesh. However, their joy of setting a new Ranji record turned bittersweet when they realized they had narrowly missed breaking the all-time first-class cricket partnership record by just 19 runs.
When Kauthankar and Bakle walked into the dressing room at the lunch break, they were informed they were only 18 runs away from surpassing Maharashtra's Swapnil Gugale and Ankit Bawne’s Ranji Trophy record of 594 runs. On resumption, the duo quickly broke the record amidst loud cheers at the Academy ground in Porvorim. Kauthankar, who had already reached a triple century, was joined by Bakle, who also completed his maiden triple ton in just his second Ranji game.
The Goa captain, Darshan Misal, declared the innings at 727-2, sealing the 606-run partnership. Only later did the team realise that they were just 19 runs shy of breaking the all-time first-class record of 624 runs, set by Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene against South Africa in 2006.
“We only learned about the world record after declaring,” Kauthankar told TOI. “If we had known, we would have certainly aimed for it. But we have no regrets. This performance is something we are incredibly proud of.”
Beyond the individual brilliance, the achievement carries greater significance for Goa. The team, which had been relegated to the Plate group after finishing at the bottom of the Elite category last
