Ranji Highlights: Ishan Kishan slams unbeaten 125 on opening day

The opening day of India's premier first-class tournament witnessed batting fireworks as multiple players announced their arrival with centuries. At the forefront was Ishan Kishan, whose composed unbeaten 125 propelled Jharkhand to a competitive 307/6 against Railways in Ranchi.

In Kanpur, wicket-keeper batter KS Bharat anchored Andhra's dominance with a stellar 142 – his 11th first-class century – against Uttar Pradesh. The match saw two more centuries as Abhinav Tejrana (108) and Sidhesh Lad (100) helped Hyderabad post 426/6 against Services in Hyderabad.

Mumbai's batting depth came to the fore with Aman Mokhade (102) and Ajay Mandal (106) steering their team to 367/5 against Baroda. Elsewhere, Saurashtra's Cheteshwar Pujara fell five runs short of a ton but his 95 helped set up a 384-run lead against Chandigarh.

"It's unprecedented to see six centuries on the opening day," noted former India opener Aakash Chopra. "The pitches are offering true bounce but the technique of these players is exceptional. We're witnessing a golden era of domestic batting."

The Ranji Trophy, now in its 90th season, has become a hotbed of talent selection with IPL franchises and national team scouts closely monitoring performances. Kishan's innings in particular has raised eyebrows after his recent international struggles.

"Centuries at this level don't happen by chance," added Chopra. "Each of these batters has shown temperament against quality attacks. It'll be fascinating to see how they sustain this form through the long season."