Rajat Paliwal Scores 21st First-Class Century Without Looking at Scoreboard to Rescue Services
Unusual Scoreboard Request at Palam Ground
On the opening day of the Ranji Trophy Group C match between Services and Delhi at the Air Force Complex Ground in New Delhi, Services captain Rajat Paliwal scored his 21st first-class century under unusual circumstances. The 34-year-old batsman reached the milestone without tracking his individual score on the venue's manual scoreboard, adhering to a personal routine he adopted following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ravikant, the chief ground staff member who has operated the manual scoreboard at the Palam ground for 35 years, agreed to leave Paliwal's name off the board following a direct request from the captain. Ravikant noted that while the request was unusual, he complied out of respect for the player's personal superstition. Speaking about the arrangement, Ravikant explained that everyone has their own preferences, and he simply accepted the captain's instructions.
Paliwal explained after the day's play that he initiated the practice after noticing that monitoring the scoreboard often caused nervousness and distraction. By removing his name and score from the view against Batsman 2, he eliminated the external focus to concentrate entirely on his batting.
Rescuing Services on Opening Day
Paliwal's disciplined approach proved crucial for Services after they stumbled early in their first innings. Walking out to bat with the side struggling at 27 for three, which soon deteriorated to 44 for four, the veteran batter anchored the innings to take Services to a total of 266 on Day 1. Paliwal finished the day unbeaten on 111 off 196 balls, marking his highest score of the season so far.
Because his name was omitted from the scoreboard, Paliwal was unaware of how close he was to reaching three digits. He revealed that he only realized he was approaching the hundred when Delhi's fielders began moving closer in around him, and eventually confirmed the milestone through the reactions of the opposition players.
Reflecting on the innings, Paliwal called the century particularly special given the team's early collapse. He noted that the knock came at a critical time before a break in the schedule, helping to set a positive tone for the team's upcoming matches.
Inspirations and Longevity in First-Class Cricket
Paliwal, who turns 35 in December, acknowledged that his opportunities to break into the Indian national team are limited. Nevertheless, he continues to draw motivation from senior domestic players, citing Jammu and Kashmir captain Paras Dogra as a key inspiration. Dogra, 41, has scored more than 10,000 runs in first-class cricket and won the Ranji Trophy title last year.
Paliwal expressed admiration for Dogra's persistence and consistency, stating that seeing a player perform at a high level into his forties builds confidence. He also credited former teammate Yashpal Singh as a major influence, recalling their shared partnerships during his early playing years.
Addressing the state of multi-day cricket, Paliwal emphasized that first-class cricket remains vital despite the heavy focus and media coverage given to T20 cricket. He pointed to Delhi's Ayush Badoni, who recently scored back-to-back double centuries, as evidence of ongoing appetite for the longer format. Paliwal praised Badoni's achievements, noting that while players hold varying priorities, commitment to red-ball cricket remains strong across the domestic circuit.
