R Smaran registered his eighth First Class century, reaching three figures in Ranji Trophy 2026/27 round one against Andhra at ACA Cricket Ground, Mulapadu.
Smaran stands tall as experienced stars disappoint
Handed the captaincy for the season opener in the absence of Devdutt Padikkal, Smaran had to dig deep after Karnataka lost three wickets for just nine runs and slumped to 22-4. India opener KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair all fell for single figures within eight overs.
Smaran steadily rebuilt the innings alongside Krishnan Shrijith, who scored 58. The pair added 111 for the fifth wicket. Wickets fell at the other end, but Smaran kept fighting and reached his hundred off 186 balls.
He eventually fell for 126, a knock containing 11 fours and a six. His innings helped Karnataka recover to 274 from a precarious position. The Karnataka bowlers then responded strongly, sending half the Andhra side back for 116. Seeram Rahul and Revanth Reddy then added an unbroken 70 for the eighth wicket to close the gap.
A breakthrough season for Smaran
Smaran recently earned his maiden India A call-up for the New Zealand tour, which begins on October 26 in Lincoln. He earned the selection on the back of an impressive Irani Cup campaign. He made 68 in the first innings for Rest of India against Jammu and Kashmir, then followed it with a superior 135 in the second innings, setting up a 167-run win.
Now 23, Smaran is widely regarded as one of the most promising talents in Indian cricket, and his numbers support that reputation. He has scored 1,945 runs from 21 first-class matches at an average of 74.80, reaching a century every fourth innings. He has also performed well in white-ball cricket, averaging 50.33 at a strike rate of 96 in List A matches, and 39.07 at a strike rate of 156 in T20 cricket.
