Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh speedster Kulwant Khejroliya inched his name in the history books, becoming the only third bowler to pick four wickets on consecutive deliveries in a Ranji Trophy match on Monday.
Khejroliya, a left-arm pacer, achieved this feat in the 95th over of Baroda’s second innings on the final day of the Ranji Trophy match after Madhya Pradesh enforced a follow-on on the visitors at the Holkar Stadium here. The left-arm pacer also became the third Madhya Pradesh bowler to take a hat-trick in the Ranji Trophy and overall 80th player in India's domestic red-ball competition.
The 31-year-old, in his mind-boggling spell, bagged a five-wicket haul, conceding only 34 runs as Madhya Pradesh secured a win by an innings and 34 runs.
Khejroliya, who has also represented Delhi in Ranji Trophy, was wicket-less in his first 11 overs of the second innings. He then sent four batters back to the pavilion in as many deliveries, wrecking havoc on Baroda lineup. He removed Shashwat Rawat (105), Mahesh Pithiya (0), Bhargav Bhatt (0) and Akash Singh (0).
Only two players have achieved this rare feat before, including Delhi's Shankar Saini (against Himachal Pradesh in 1988) and Jammu` and Kashmir's Mohammed Mudhasir (against Rajasthan in 2018).
Madhya Pradesh coach Chandrakant Pandit praised Kheljroliya's bowling effort. "It is rare feat. It doesn't happen frequently that a bowler pick four wickets in four consecutive deliveries. At one moment, we (Madhya Pradesh players and support staff) had thought that Baroda has a chance to escape from the jaws of defeat, and we might have to bat again. And suddenly, coming in and achieving this figures was special," Chandrakant Pandit, himself a former India stumper, told ETV Bharat over the phone.
"As they say, you cannot predict that what will happen in the game of cricket and hence it was great experience for me as well because I haven't seen something like that in my career before. Nobody must have thought that the match will change so drastically within five minutes or inside one over. And surely, his today's performance has motivated and boosted others confidence as well," added Pandit, who played 5 Tests and 36 ODIs.