Bhargav Bhatt reached his 100th first-class match on October 18, 2026, when Baroda faced Bihar in Match 23 of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 at Reliance Stadium in Vadodara. The left-arm orthodox spinner, born May 13, 1990, has spent 17 years in domestic cricket and accumulated 390 wickets across his career. The Baroda Cricket Association honoured Bhatt before the match, with former Indian international cricketer and wicketkeeper Kiran More presenting him with a special cap and memento.
Bhatt marked the milestone in memorable fashion. He took 6 wickets for 53 runs in 29 overs during Bihar's second innings and was named Player of the Match. Baroda won the encounter by 10 wickets, securing a dominant victory. Earlier in the Ranji Trophy 2026-27, Bhatt had picked up a five-wicket haul against Goa in the opening round, and across the first two matches of the season he had taken 17 wickets combined.
"To be honest when I started my career I never thought I would play 100 matches. But when the 100th game came, I thought of making it memorable. I had planned I would take five wickets, I would take the Player-of-the-Match award and I'll make the team win. When all these things happened it felt like god had planned everything for me," said Bhatt as quoted by ESPN.
"I'm 36 but I still believe I can make it to the Indian team. I'm fit, I bowl 30 overs in each Ranji innings and I'm ready to play matches non-stop. I'm not leaving anything in my preparation and I'm just waiting for that [India] jersey," he added.
How has Bhatt's career evolved across multiple domestic teams?
Bhatt's path to 100 first-class games has included periods with multiple teams and varying levels of success. He spent seven seasons with Baroda before switching to Andhra, where he became a leading wicket-taker. In the 2016-17 season with Andhra, he took 38 wickets at an average of 27.10. The following year, he claimed 27 wickets in six matches during the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy, establishing himself as Andhra's leading wicket-taker. He later returned to Baroda and in the 2023-24 season took 41 wickets at 22.12, helping the team reach the knockout stage.
Why does Bhatt remain hopeful of an India call-up?
Bhatt's domestic career has included recognition at the India A level. In 2013, he was selected for India A and took 7 wickets in the first innings and 2 in the second against West Indies A. That selection came after a standout 2010-11 season when he took 47 wickets, which led to his initial India A call-up. He was also included in a select group of reserve bowlers at the National Cricket Academy, now known as the Centre of Excellence.
"At that time I really thought the Test call-up was not far away. I used to be with the India side regularly and was performing well with the red ball. But the competition increased with allrounders like Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. I was a genuine bowler but I think the team was looking for someone who could bat too, said Bhatt.
