Ajith Ram scores century and takes seven wickets in Ranji Trophy win
The left-arm spinner became only the fourth Tamil Nadu player to score a century and take five or more wickets in a single match.
Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner S. Ajith Ram scored his maiden century and took seven wickets in the second innings to help his team defeat Chandigarh by an innings and 260 runs. The Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match took place on Thursday, according to Sportstar and The Hindu.
Ajith Ram struck an unbeaten 115 before claiming his seven wickets during the match. He is only the fourth player in nine decades of Tamil Nadu cricket to score a century and claim five or more wickets in an innings during the same First Class match, joining A.G. Ram Singh, B.C.
Alva, and S. Vasudevan.
The performance marks a significant return for the spinner, who previously suffered complete tears of the meniscus and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. He told Sportstar that a year ago, his injury was so serious that he was unsure if he would play cricket again.
“Honestly, it was a dream game. I never expected a performance like this,” Ajith Ram said.
He added that he was thankful for the strength to return and that he was enjoying himself as everything happened in a flow.
The player noted that he did not look at the scoreboard or think about his maiden century while in the 90s. He said he wanted to improve his batting to contribute to the success of Tamil Nadu, noting that Ranji Trophy winning teams often have contributions from the lower order.