Punajb Newsline,Sports:
Five centuries and record-equalling performance take Vidarbha into their second successive final
Vidarbha’s right-handed opening batter Aman Mokhade is enjoying a dream run in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, playing a key role in guiding his team to the final for the second consecutive season. Vidarbha will face Saurashtra in the title clash on Sunday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru, where Mokhade will once again be expected to deliver a match-winning performance.
In the semi-final against Karnataka, Mokhade struck a brilliant century to equal the record for the most hundreds in a single edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, registering his fifth ton of the tournament. With 781 runs at an impressive average of 97.62, he is currently the leading run-scorer of the competition. He also equalled South African legend Graeme Pollock’s world record by completing 1,000 List A runs in just 16 innings, becoming the fastest Indian to achieve the milestone.
Mokhade’s surge in form has come after a long wait on the fringes of the Vidarbha side, which boasts a strong batting line-up featuring Atharva Taide, Dhruv Shorey, Yash Rathod, Karun Nair and Danish Malewar. Limited opportunities initially made it difficult for him to cement his place, but he grabbed his chance with both hands when Karun Nair returned to Karnataka and Malewar was sidelined due to injury.
Since 2023, Mokhade has been working under Jwala Singh, the coach of India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. Singh believes Mokhade’s success is a result of his dedication, discipline and strong mental approach. The coach has played a key role in refining his stroke-play and helping him accelerate his scoring, especially in white-ball cricket.
Mokhade’s consistency across formats this domestic season has strengthened his reputation as a potential all-format player. His performances in the Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and now the Vijay Hazare Trophy underline his ability to adapt to different formats and match situations.
Now in his fourth first-class season, Aman Mokhade has transformed patience into opportunity. All eyes will be on him in the final as Vidarbha look to lift the Vijay Hazare Trophy title.