Irani Cup: Smaran bats on as Rest of India’s batting falls away around him

Ravichandran Smaran, the captain of Rest of India, scored an unbeaten 126 in the Irani Cup, leading his team from 197/8 to 306/8 at stumps on day three. This innings was his seventh first-class century in only his 19th appearance, with five sixes and 15 fours. Smaran's 109 for the ninth wicket with Mukesh Choudhary is the highest in the Irani Cup.

The pair's 109 for the ninth wicket stands as the highest in the tournament. However, Smaran acknowledged that losing four wickets for 55 runs in the middle overs could have made a significant difference. He credited his partnership with Choudhary and expressed his intent to play positive cricket in the fourth innings. Smaran, who is yet to make his mark in the IPL, aspires to score 1,000 runs for the Ranji Trophy and maintain a strong presence in every trophy.