Mizoram batter Chinmay Sutar has entered the record books after scoring an unbeaten 400 against Nagaland in the Ranji Trophy, becoming only the second Indian cricketer to reach the 400-run mark in a single innings in the competition’s history.
The 29-year-old achieved the milestone on the second day of the Plate Group fixture in Sovima, Nagaland. His monumental innings helped Mizoram declare their first innings at 581 for nine, putting the spotlight firmly on a batter who has made a remarkable start to his campaign with his new team.
Sutar faced 517 deliveries and struck 46 fours and seven sixes on his way to 400 not out. He reached the landmark in the 155th over, demonstrating exceptional patience and the ability to sustain concentration over a prolonged period at the crease.
His innings is now the second-highest individual score in Ranji Trophy history. In reaching 400, Sutar surpassed Prithvi Shaw’s previous mark of 379. However, the competition’s all-time record remains intact.
That distinction belongs to Maharashtra’s Bhausaheb Nimbalkar, who scored an unbeaten 443 against Kathiawar during the 1948–49 season. Nimbalkar’s innings had stood as the highest individual score in the tournament for more than 77 years. Sutar’s achievement has brought another four-century to Indian domestic cricket, although the longstanding record remains beyond his reach.
Crucial contribution in the final-wicket partnership
One of the most striking aspects of Sutar’s innings was his contribution to Mizoram’s final-wicket stand. He was batting on 231 when Lalrempuia Chawngthu joined him at the crease, with the team’s total standing at 392.
The pair added approximately 190 runs for the tenth wicket, with Sutar accounting for the overwhelming majority of the partnership’s runs. Chawngthu remained unbeaten on 14 as the stand helped Mizoram move beyond 500 and build a substantial first-innings total.
Such a partnership is particularly significant in first-class cricket, where the loss of nine wickets leaves a team with little room for error. The remaining batter must balance the need to protect the final wicket with the opportunity to increase the total. Sutar managed both tasks, turning a promising individual innings into a landmark performance for his side.
His ability to continue scoring after the arrival of the final batter proved decisive in taking Mizoram to 581 for nine before the declaration.
Nimbalkar’s record remains the benchmark
Sutar’s achievement places him in a select group of Indian batters to have reached 400 in a first-class innings. Before his performance against Nagaland, Nimbalkar was the only Indian to have crossed the mark in the Ranji Trophy.
Nimbalkar’s unbeaten 443 for Maharashtra against Kathiawar in the 1948–49 season remains the tournament’s highest individual score. The longevity of that record underlines the difficulty of producing such an innings, even in a format that allows batters considerably more time at the crease than limited-overs cricket.
Sutar’s 400 not out is a significant addition to the competition’s history. By passing Shaw’s 379, he has also moved ahead of one of the most notable individual performances in recent Ranji Trophy cricket.
The achievement is especially notable because it came in a Plate Group fixture, where teams compete within the domestic tournament’s wider structure. Performances of this scale can provide a player with considerable recognition, although consistency across matches remains important in establishing a lasting reputation.
From Mumbai to Mizoram
Sutar’s record-breaking innings also marks an important stage in his domestic career. He previously represented Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and has featured in local competitions, where he has demonstrated his run-scoring ability.
In June, he was part of MSC Maratha Royals as the side retained its Mumbai T20 League title. Sutar scored 212 runs across six innings in the tournament and finished strongly with two consecutive half-centuries.
Ahead of the 2026–27 domestic season, he obtained a no-objection certificate from the Mumbai Cricket Association and moved to Mizoram. The change gave him a new opportunity in the Ranji Trophy, India’s premier domestic first-class competition.
He made his Ranji Trophy debut for Mizoram against Manipur, scoring 35 in the first innings and 99 in the second. Despite his contribution, Mizoram lost the match by three wickets.
His unbeaten 400 against Nagaland represents a striking follow-up to that debut. The innings has demonstrated his capacity to convert a start into a major score while making a substantial contribution to his team’s total.
For Mizoram, Sutar’s performance provides a significant boost in a demanding domestic competition. For the batter himself, it is a career-defining milestone that places him among the most remarkable individual scorers in Ranji Trophy history.
Although Nimbalkar’s record of 443 remains unbroken, Sutar’s achievement after more than seven decades without another Indian batter reaching 400 in the competition will be remembered as a rare moment in the history of Indian domestic cricket.