Bengal's Sudip Gharami etched his name into Ranji Trophy history, but not in the way he would have hoped, after being dismissed for 299 against Andhra in the quarter-final of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy. Gharami's innings, a herculean effort of 596 balls, included 31 fours and six sixes, but ended agonizingly short of a maiden first-class triple century when he was clean bowled by Shaik Rasheed.

The Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani witnessed Gharami's near-historic innings, a knock that saw him become the first batsman in Ranji Trophy history to be dismissed for 299. Previously, Shantanu Sugwekar of Maharashtra had remained unbeaten on 299 against Madhya Pradesh in the 1988-89 season.

Bengal had initially struggled in their response to Andhra's first innings score of 295, slipping to 43/3. Gharami, coming in at number three, then orchestrated a remarkable recovery. He first partnered with Sumanta Gupta, adding 165 runs for the sixth wicket, before forging a 221-run stand with Shakir Habib Gandhi. Gharami's marathon innings powered Bengal to a formidable 629, securing a substantial lead.

Despite the personal disappointment, Gharami's contribution put Bengal in a commanding position in the quarter-final. His performance underscored his consistent form in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, where he has amassed 651 runs in 12 innings at an average of 54.25, including two centuries and three fifties.

Gharami has been a vital cog in Bengal's setup for a while now. He made his first-class debut in 2020 and had a breakthrough season in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy, where he scored 802 runs in 10 matches at an average of 50.18. That season included three centuries and five half-centuries. He also finished as the second-highest run-getter in the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025, scoring 244 runs in nine innings for the Murshidabad Kings.

In other news from the match, veteran India seamer Mohammad Shami contributed a quick-fire 53 off 33 balls, which included seven fours and three sixes, further extending Bengal's lead. Bengal's pace attack, featuring Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep and Shami, had earlier restricted Andhra to 264/6 on the opening day. Mukesh Kumar was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/50.

As the quarter-final progresses, Bengal will look to capitalize on their dominant position, while Sudip Gharami, despite missing out on a historic milestone, will undoubtedly be eager to contribute further and help his team advance in the Ranji Trophy.