Urvil Patel has offered another glimpse of his growing batting range. Known for his explosive strokeplay in white-ball cricket, the Gujarat wicketkeeper-batter reached a significant milestone in his red-ball career, smashing his maiden first-class double century against Kerala in the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season on Tuesday, November 3.
The 28-year-old remained unbeaten on 210 off 227 deliveries at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, helping Gujarat post a commanding 534/9 before declaring their first innings. His knock featured 17 fours and six sixes, with Patel bringing up his double century in just 214 balls.
Patel’s innings was particularly impressive given the circumstances in which he walked out to bat. Gujarat had already lost five wickets, but the right-hander took responsibility and kept the scoreboard moving. He brought up his century in just 91 deliveries before stepping up the aggression to reach the 200-run mark.
URVIL PATEL: A MORE COMPLETE BATTER
The double century marks another step in Patel’s development following his breakthrough IPL campaign with Chennai Super Kings in 2026. The wicketkeeper-batter finished the season with 197 runs in 10 matches at a staggering strike rate of 205.21. He struck 20 sixes and 11 fours, making an impact with his fearless approach at the top of the order.
His standout performance came against Lucknow Super Giants on May 10. Patel equalled the record for the fastest half-century in IPL history, reaching the landmark in just 13 deliveries. He eventually smashed 65 off 23 balls, hitting six sixes and seven fours, as CSK chased down a target of 204 with five wickets to spare. He joined Yashasvi Jaiswal as the joint-fastest fifty-maker in the tournament’s history.
Patel had offered glimpses of his potential earlier in the competition, scoring 24 off 12 balls against Mumbai Indians and 17 off nine against Delhi Capitals. However, his explosive innings against Lucknow established him as a serious power-hitting option.
His domestic performances have also underlined that there is more to his game than T20 fireworks. Before the Kerala fixture, Patel had scored 85 against Odisha and a blistering 96 off 72 balls against Maharashtra in the ongoing Ranji Trophy campaign.
Against Kerala, he showcased another dimension to his batting, spending time at the crease and building partnerships with the lower order to take Gujarat past the 500-run mark.
For a batter who made headlines with his 13-ball IPL fifty, the unbeaten double century is an equally significant statement. Patel is increasingly demonstrating that his aggressive instincts can translate into substantial contributions across formats.
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