Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Hardened Kunnummal ends arduous wait for fifth FC hundred

Kerala batter Rohan Kunnummal’s early days in First-Class (FC) cricket were heady ones. His first six innings in the format yielded him four hundreds, including three in a row. It almost looked as if the tons would never stop coming, until they did.

Since his century in the 2022 Duleep Trophy semifinal for South Zone, Rohan had been stuck at four FC hundreds. This was despite him being a regular run-scorer for Kerala throughout, having scored nine fifties in the Ranji Trophy during this period.

On Friday, Rohan put an end to his long, arduous wait by smashing a blistering hundred for Kerala against Goa in a Ranji Trophy group-stage match in Porvorim.

An air of relief hung over Rohan as he spoke after the second day, which ended with the Kerala opener unbeaten on 132.

“I am feeling delighted. The past three or four years have been a great learning experience for me. I used to take things for granted as centuries kept coming easily. But these experiences have grounded me. I understand the value of a century better now,” said a jovial Rohan.

The 27-year-old dominated the Goan bowlers with his easy-on-the-eye stroke-making. He attacked the home pacers with his compact drives and clever ramps, while countering the spinners with his nimble footwork.

Despite the thought of the elusive hundred occupying his mind space, Rohan batted without restraint. There were no ‘nervous nineties’ for him as he moved from 90 to 100 in just 13 deliveries.

“From a batter’s perspective, a century is a very big deal as it gives one a lot of satisfaction. Today I was just taking it one ball at a time and going with the flow,” says Rohan.

Even though hundreds have evaded him in the Ranji Trophy, Rohan has found ways to acquire them in the shorter formats.

Recently, he scored a hundred apiece in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The performance in Porvorim felt like a spill over of the confidence he had earned from white-ball cricket.

“After spending more time in the crease in the white ball formats, I gained confidence that I could do this. I think that belief is what leads a player to move forward in his journey,” suggests Rohan.

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The right-handed batter also highlighted the work he has put in behind the scenes for his uptick in form.

“I have put in a lot of effort this season. I have taken the effort to go to the ground every day regularly, as one goes to the office. I’ve been consistent with my physical fitness for the past 3-4 years.

“Mentally, I have put more effort this year, with meditation, breathing exercises and all. And that has reflected in the field. It demands a lot of focus, and there’s a lot more to be done. But I certainly feel better about it,” says Rohan.

Despite the positive developments on the personal front, the 2025-26 season has been a disappointing one for Rohan from a team perspective. Kerala failed to qualify for the knockout stages in all three major tournaments.

“All of us are devastated. In the last 4-5 years, we haven’t performed this badly. Qualifying for knockouts is very important as it gives us more recognition as players and fetches us better opportunities. But this has been a true learning experience that can definitely help in the future,” adds Rohan.

Published on Jan 30, 2026