Swapnil Gugale & Ankit Bawne’s record 594 run partnership in Ranji Trophy becomes 2nd highest partnership in first-class history

Records are meant to be broken and the historic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai played host to something special which unfolded courtesy a superlative batting effort from Maharashtra’s skipper and seasoned batsman Ankit Bawne against Delhi in the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy.

Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium saw history being made after Maharashtra’s pair of Swapnil Gugale and Ankit Bawne recorded the highest partnership in the history of India's premier domestic competition, the Ranji Trophy.

Opener Gugale  in his first match as captain of Maharashtra and No 4 Bawne added an unbeaten 594 against Delhi in their second round fixture of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy.

Their stand for the third wicket has eclipsed the long-standing record of 577, set by Vijay Hazare and Gul Mohammed for Baroda v Holkar in the 1946-47 season.Gugale declared the innings at 635/2 at which point he was 351* and Bawne 258*.

The pair had joined with Maharashtra 41/2 on the first morning.It is also the second-highest association in all first-class cricket, behind only the 624 run stand that Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene added in a Test match against South Africa.

Before this epic partnership by Gugale-Bawne, 580 runs added together by Pakistani duo of Rafatullah Mohmand and Aamer Sajjad for WAPDA team against Sui Southern Gas Corporation team in Pakistan's domestic cricket was the second highest-ever partnership.