Gujarat wicketkeeper-batter Urvil Patel delivered a commanding batting masterclass on the second day of the fourth round Ranji Trophy clash against Kerala, guiding his team to a mammoth first-innings total. The 28-year-old displayed remarkable aggression throughout his stay at the crease, remaining unbeaten when Gujarat chose to close their innings. Urvil, who has been part of Chennai Super Kings after being bought for Rs 30 lakh, previously drew widespread attention during IPL 2026 with his brisk striking ability, and he replicated similar authority in red-ball cricket.
Maiden First-Class Double Hundred
This sensational knock marked the first double century of Urvil's first-class career. Counter-attacking with precision while batting alongside the lower order, he reached his three-figure mark in just 91 deliveries. He sustained that momentum without lowering his scoring rate, bringing up his double ton in 214 balls. By the time the declaration arrived, Urvil had piled up 210 runs off 227 deliveries, an innings decorated with 17 boundaries and 6 massive sixes.
Crucial Lower-Order Alliances
The innings gained significant traction through several vital partnerships Urvil constructed alongside the lower half of the lineup. For the sixth wicket, he teamed up with Vishal Jaiswal to construct a 179-run alliance. Later, he combined with Amit Desai to add 78 runs for the eighth wicket, with Urvil taking the lead in accelerating the run rate during both passages of play.
He further extended Gujarat's dominance by putting together an 82-run partnership with Siddharth Desai for the ninth wicket. Backed by these substantial contributions down the order, Gujarat declared their first innings at 534 for 9 immediately following the lunch interval on day two.
