For the third time in the last four years, India’s premier domestic event witnessed a new champion.

On Friday in Rajkot, it was Saurashtra’s turn to be crowned winners as they lifted the Ranji Trophy 2019-20 title following a hard-fought final against Bengal at their home ground.

The first session of the final day was the all-important phase of play. While Bengal needed 72 runs, Saurashtra were in need of four wickets for the critical first-innings lead to decide the winner.

And who else, but Saurashtra skipper Jaydev Unadkat who put his hand up. First, he trapped the well-set Anustup Majumdar LBW and then showed great presence of mind to throw the ball at the striker’s end to catch Akash Deep unaware.

Fittingly, Unadkat then picked up his second wicket of the match and 67th wicket of the Ranji Trophy season as he got Ishan Porel out LBW to confirm the first innings lead and essentially, the title.

Celebrations began in the Saurashtra camp soon after as they secured the first-innings lead of 44 runs and eventually clinched the title in their fourth final appearance.

With Gujarat and Vidarbha’s triumphs in the three seasons before this, the 86th edition witnessed another first-time winner. On the other hand, Bengal’s three-decade wait for a title continued.

List of Ranji Trophy winners

Season Winner Runner-up
1934–35 Bombay Northern India
1935–36 Bombay Madras
1936–37 Nawanagar Bengal
1937–38 Hyderabad Nawanagar
1938–39 Bengal Southern Punjab
1939–40 Maharashtra United Provinces
1940–41 Maharashtra Madras
1941–42 Bombay Mysore
1942–43 Baroda Hyderabad
1943–44 Western India Bengal
1944–45 Bombay Holkar
1945–46 Holkar Baroda
1946–47 Baroda Holkar
1947–48 Holkar Bombay
1948–49 Bombay Baroda
1949–50 Baroda Holkar
1950–51 Holkar Gujarat
1951–52 Bombay Holkar
1952–53 Holkar Bengal
1953–54 Bombay Holkar
1954–55 Madras Holkar
1955–56 Bombay Bengal
1956–57 Bombay Services
1957–58 Baroda Services
1958–59 Bombay Bengal
1959–60 Bombay Mysore
1960–61 Bombay Rajasthan
1961–62 Bombay Rajasthan
1962–63 Bombay Rajasthan
1963–64 Bombay Rajasthan
1964–65 Bombay Hyderabad
1965–66 Bombay Rajasthan
1966–67 Bombay Rajasthan
1967–68 Bombay Madras
1968–69 Bombay Bengal
1969–70 Bombay Rajasthan
1970–71 Bombay Maharashtra
1971–72 Bombay Bengal
1972–73 Bombay Tamil Nadu
1973–74 Karnataka Rajasthan
1974–75 Bombay Karnataka
1975–76 Bombay Bihar
1976–77 Bombay Delhi
1977–78 Karnataka Uttar Pradesh
1978–79 Delhi Karnataka
1979–80 Delhi Bombay
1980–81 Bombay Delhi
1981–82 Delhi Karnataka
1982–83 Karnataka Bombay
1983–84 Bombay Delhi
1984–85 Bombay Delhi
1985–86 Delhi Haryana
1986–87 Hyderabad Delhi
1987–88 Tamil Nadu Railways
1988–89 Delhi Bengal
1989–90 Bengal Delhi
1990–91 Haryana Bombay
1991–92 Delhi Tamil Nadu
1992–93 Punjab Maharashtra
1993–94 Bombay Bengal
1994–95 Bombay Punjab
1995–96 Karnataka Tamil Nadu
1996–97 Mumbai Delhi
1997–98 Karnataka Uttar Pradesh
1998–99 Karnataka Madhya Pradesh
1999–00 Mumbai Hyderabad
2000–01 Baroda Railways
2001–02 Railways Baroda
2002–03 Mumbai Tamil Nadu
2003–04 Mumbai Tamil Nadu
2004–05 Railways Punjab
2005–06 Uttar Pradesh Bengal
2006–07 Mumbai Bengal
2007–08 Delhi Uttar Pradesh
2008–09 Mumbai Uttar Pradesh
2009–10 Mumbai Karnataka
2010–11 Rajasthan Baroda
2011–12 Rajasthan Tamil Nadu
2012–13 Mumbai Saurashtra
2013–14 Karnataka Maharashtra
2014–15 Karnataka Tamil Nadu
2015–16 Mumbai Saurashtra
2016–17 Gujarat Mumbai
2017–18 Vidarbha Delhi
2018–19 Vidarbha Saurashtra
2019-20 Saurashtra Bengal