- “Don’t doubt it, he is made for the big level” – Irfan Pathan predicts bright future for Mahesh Pithiya ahead of IPL 2027 auction. Baroda all-rounder Mahesh Pithiya has received praise from former India cricketer Irfan Pathan after a remarkable performance against Jammu and Kashmir in the Ranji Trophy 2026-27.
- Irfan Pathan and Mahesh Pithiya.
- (Source:BCCI/Mahesh Pithiya/IrfanPathan) Baroda off-spinning all-rounder Mahesh Pithiya produced a match-defining display against Jammu and Kashmir in the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy, scoring 102 off 214 balls from No.
“Don’t doubt it, he is made for the big level” – Irfan Pathan predicts bright future for Mahesh Pithiya ahead of IPL 2027 auction. Baroda all-rounder Mahesh Pithiya has received praise from former India cricketer Irfan Pathan after a remarkable performance against Jammu and Kashmir in the Ranji Trophy 2026-27.
Irfan Pathan and Mahesh Pithiya. (Source:BCCI/Mahesh Pithiya/IrfanPathan) Baroda off-spinning all-rounder Mahesh Pithiya produced a match-defining display against Jammu and Kashmir in the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy, scoring 102 off 214 balls from No. 8 and picking up five wickets across both innings.
The knock included six fours and two sixes and Pithiya backed this up with two wickets in the first innings and three in the second. Baroda secured three points by taking the lead in the first round of the Elite Group A competition. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, who himself represented Baroda in domestic cricket and is now a cricket commentator and analyst, paid a special tribute to Pithiya on his official Instagram account.
Pathan, born on October 27, 1984 in Baroda, has a strong connection with the state’s cricket culture and his support for another Baroda player attracted wide attention. View original Instagram post Irfan Pathan’s praise on Instagram for Pithiya Pithiya’s efforts were part of a strong team performance that saw Priyanshu Moliya score a triple century in Baroda’s first innings of the same match, putting the team in a dominant position against the reigning Ranji Trophy champions. Pathan’s Instagram story presents Pithiya’s numbers in stark terms.
In the current Ranji Trophy season 2026-27, Pithiya has scored one and a half centuries with the bat while also taking 19 wickets with the ball. Pathan also highlighted Pithiya’s first-class career record, citing 108 wickets in 26 matches (before the clash against Jammu and Kashmir) as a particularly strong return for an international player. “Don’t doubt that he is made for the big level.
Keep an eye on this boy from Baroda. He has a 100th half-century in this Ranji season. Impressive career stats of 26 matches and 108 wickets,” Pathan said on his Instagram story.
Beyond red-ball cricket, Pithiya has featured in 22 T20 matches. With the bat in this format, he faced just 15 balls on his occasions and hit three fours and as many sixes, while with the ball he took 12 wickets at an economy rate of 7.02. These T20 numbers put him in a relevant position heading into the 2027 IPL mini-auction.
Few teams have good players who can throw the ball properly. Also Read: ‘Overall it was a good team performance’ – Shahbaz Ahmed shares his views on Bengal’s stunning 287-run win over Kerala. The wider context surrounding Pithiya’s rise includes the fact that Washington Sundar has been the Indian team’s key all-rounder in recent years, while Naman Dhir has also been given opportunities and made his mark at international level. Pithiya’s domestic performance, particularly his wicket tally and century at No. 1.
8, adds its name to the discussion surrounding this versatile slot machine. Baroda has produced major Indian cricketers in the past, including Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya, and Pithiya is now among the names catching the state’s attention.
