Bengaluru, Sep 23: Murali Vijay brought up the highest individual score by a batsman in Irani Cup history as Rest of India took complete control of the 50th Irani Cup tie against Rajasthan. Vijay’s 266 powered ROI to a mammoth score of 607 for seven declared before Rajasthan ended Day 3 at 43 for one – 311 runs adrift of making Rest of India bat again.

Earlier, Vijay batting overnight on 151, raced away to his double-century, taking just 52 balls to reach the landmark. The ROI opener added 141 for the third wicket with S Badrinath, before Badrinath was bowled by Rajasthan pacer, Deepak Chahar, off a delivery that kept low, in the last over before lunch. Badrinath made 55 and ROI were 467 for three at the loss of his wicket.

Vijay, however, didn’t let up after lunch. He hit Chahar for three boundaries in the second over of the second session and went past the previous highest individual score of 246 (scored by Pravin Amre) in the Irani Cup when he drove the same bowler to the cover boundary in the 131st over. Three balls later, Vijay cut Chahar to deep point to bring up his first ever first-class score of 250.

ROI then went past 500 when Vijay clipped Sumit Mathur for a couple of fours to the fine leg boundary and straight down the ground in the very next over. While attempting to become the first ever player to score a triple century in the Irani Cup, Vijay, perished when he hit off-spinner Madhur Khatri straight into the hands of long-on in the 141st over. Vijay made 266 and ROI had surged to a lead of 277 at the fall of his wicket.

ROI declared their innings finally at 607 for seven, an hour into the third session. Dinesh Karthik’s half-century (56), at No.5, and Wriddhiman Saha’s unbeaten 29 helping ROI grab a 354-run first innings lead.

Staring at the possibility of a huge defeat, Rajasthan had the worst possible start to their second innings when opener Ankit Lamba (4) was caught by Dinesh Karthik off Ishant Sharma’s bowling in the very first over. Vineet Saxena (17*) and Hirshikesh Kanitkar (21*) though managed to hold out, denying ROI any further breakthroughs as stumps were called with Rajasthan’s score at 43 for the loss of one wicket.

Brief scores:

At end of Day 3: Rajasthan 1st innings 253/10 in 86.3 overs (Robin Bist 117*, Umesh Yadav 5/55) and Rajasthan 2nd innings 43/1 in 12.0 overs (Hrishikesh Kanitkar 21*, Ishant Sharma 1/17); Rest of India 1st innings 607/7 decl. in 165.0 overs (Murali Vijay 266, Madhur Khatri 3/125)

At end of Day 2: Rajasthan 1st innings 253/10 in 86.3 overs (Robin Bist 117*, Dishant Yagnik 40, Umesh Yadav 5/55); Rest of India 1st innings 328/2 in 91.0 overs (Murali Vijay 151*, Ajinkya Rahane 81, Aniket Choudhary 1/57)

At end of Day 1: Rajasthan 1st innings 253/10 in 86.3 overs (Robin Bist 117*, Dishant Yagnik 40, Umesh Yadav 5/55); Rest of India 1st innings 2/0 in 1.0 over (Ajinkya Rahane 2*, Murali Vijay 0*)