In December 2015, Parthiv Patel struck his maiden List A century to steer Gujarat to their first domestic 50-over championship win. Just over a year later, he was at the forefront of yet another title triumph with an innings that was physically and mentally more demanding than any other he has played in recent memory.
Having kept wicket for 221 overs across two innings and over three days and made a combative 90 that gave Gujarat the first-innings lead, he steered a fourth-innings chase of 312 with a remarkable 143. His 25th first-class ton helped Gujarat clinch the Ranji Trophy for the first time in the very city where they lost to Holkar in their only previous final, 66 years ago.
In doing so, with five wickets in hand - a proposition that had looked unlikely when they lost three early wickets on the final day against a fired-up Mumbai gunning for their 42nd title - Gujarat also achieved the highest-successful finals chase in the tournament's 83-year history. They eclipsed Hyderabad, who had chased down 310 against Nawanagar in 1937-38.
Parthiv's 143 took Gujarat to within 13 runs of victory and will deservedly hog the headlines, but Manprit Juneja's 54 was no less important. When he walked in, Gujarat were 89 for 3. Mumbai were ascendant, the runs weren't quite flowing, and there was a stillness to proceedings. Balwinder Sandhu, who was expensive on the fourth evening, returned rejuvenated and was getting the ball to jag back in sharply.
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