India has always been known to produce batters who are capable of scoring big hundreds in red-ball cricket, and one of the reasons is its premier First-Class tournament, the Ranji Trophy.
The annual and premier First-Class tourney is considered one of the most prestigious competitions across the cricketing globe, and the batters have played a key role in making it one.
The world-renowned batters from India have tried their trade with the Ranji Trophy before playing for the national side. And the player’s century-making is fueled here, and it reflects when they play for India.
Star batter Sachin Tendulkar, who has 100 tons in international cricket, including 51 in Tests, was a product of the Ranji Trophy.
So here, let us look at the top 10 highest-century makers in Ranji Trophy history.
Most Centuries in Ranji Trophy
| Player | Career Span | Centuries | Teams Represented |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wasim Jaffer | 1996/97 – 2019/20 | 40 | Mumbai, Vidarbha |
| Ajay Sharma | 1984/85 – 2000/01 | 31 | Delhi, Himachal Pradesh |
| Paras Dogra | 2001/02 – 2023/24 | 30 | Himachal Pradesh, Pondicherry |
| Amol Muzumdar | 1993/94 – 2013/14 | 28 | Mumbai, Assam, Andhra Pradesh |
| Hrishikesh Kanitkar | 1994/95 – 2013/14 | 28 | Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan |
| Amarjit Kaypee | 1980/81 – 1999/00 | 27 | Punjab, Haryana |
| Brijesh Patel | 1969/70 – 1987/88 | 26 | Karnataka (Mysore) |
| Surendra Bhave | 1986/87 – 2000/01 | 26 | Maharashtra |
| Manoj Tiwary | 2004/05 – 2023/24 | 25 | Bengal |
| Mithun Manhas | 1997/98 – 2016/17 | 25 | Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir |
(Check out other Ranji Trophy-related records here.)
Key Insights
Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer holds the record for smashing the most number of tons in the Ranji Trophy. He surpassed the three-figure mark a whopping 40 times while representing Mumbai and Vidarbha in his illustrious career. On the whole, Jaffer has 57 First-Class centuries, including 5 while playing Tests for India.
The next best century-maker in the Ranji Trophy tournament is Ajay Sharma, who smashed 31 tons in his 16-year-long career. Despite having a staggering average of 67.46 in FC cricket, Ajay played just a solitary Test for India.
443 by Bhausaheb Babasaheb Nimbalkar remains the highest individual score in the history of the Ranji Trophy. He did it while playing for Maharashtra against Saurashtra during the 1948/49 Ranji Trophy season.
Among active players, Cheteshwar Pujara (24) has the most centuries in the Ranji Trophy, followed by Manish Pandey, who has 22.
37 players have scored 20 or more centuries in their respective Ranji Trophy careers.
