With 413 runs in seven innings, he has also entered the list of top 10 run-scorers of VHT 2025-26.
Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has put up a stunning 134 not out in the Maharashtra vs Goa match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. This knock has come shortly after the management left him out of India’s ODI plans for the upcoming New Zealand series.
A commendable bowling effort from Goa dismissed half of the Maharashtra line-up for just 25 runs in the last league-stage fixture of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. The team was close to registering one of the lowest totals in the tournament’s history, but the 28-year-old denied succumbing under the pressure.
Gaikwad single-handedly guided the side’s total to a fighting 249/7. His marvellous knock came off 131 balls, which included eight fours and six over-boundaries, striking at 102.29. Vicky Ostwal’s 53 and Rajvardhan Hangargekar’s 32* were the only notable contributions to back the captain’s heroics.
Punjab and Mumbai have already secured the qualifiers’ spot after topping the Elite Group C with five victories and a loss so far. But the gritty fightback will highlight Maharashtra’s campaign, who are set to finish third in the 50-over event. Previously, they had also missed out on advancing to the SMAT 2025 Super League by a whisker as Madhya Pradesh grabbed the spot due to a higher net run rate.
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This spectacular show from the star India batter also smashed multiple domestic records. The player has now equalled his teammate Ankit Bawne to score the most centuries in the one-day tournament (15). Moreover, the right-hander also reached the milestone of 5,000 List A runs in just 95 innings.
Gaikwad’s astonishing stats include 20 tons and 19 fifty-plus scores, averaging 58.83, which is the highest-ever in List A history, eclipsing former Australian player Michael Bevan. But despite the scorching-hot form, the opener once again fell prey to the fierce competition surrounding the national side.
Following a two-year-long wait to return to India’s ODI setup, the opener had notched up a brilliant hundred during the latest series against South Africa, replacing Shreyas Iyer at No.4. But as the vice-captain is set to make a comeback against the Black Caps, Gaikwad has been excluded from the squad.
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