Gujarat’s wicketkeeper-batter has managed to be consistent while batting at a high tempo and has started the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with a bang
Rajan Raj28-Nov-2025Aggressive batting is one of the most attractive features of modern cricket, and if a batter can be consistent at the same time, it is like a dream come true. Gujarat wicketkeeper-batter Urvil Patel has consistently played such innings that have made him a household name in domestic cricket.Captaining Gujarat, Urvil smashed a 31-ball century against Services in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025 and proved why Chennai Super Kings (CSK) gave him a chance after signing him as a replacement for IPL 2025.”It’s not that I try to play aggressive shots from ball one. They are backed by months of hard work, which gives me consistent confidence,” Urvil tells ESPNcricinfo. “Playing aggressive cricket may not be that difficult, but finding consistency in aggression is a little tricky. I know that if I keep working hard like this, I’ll be able to play even better cricket in the future.”Related
Players who have a lot at stake at SMAT 2025
Urvil Patel smashes 31-ball ton; Rahane, Suryakumar star in Mumbai win
Urvil has previously scored a T20 century off 28 balls, the fastest by an Indian and the second-fastest in men’s T20s, during the 2024-25 SMAT. He also scored a hundred off just 36 balls against Uttarakhand last season. He has 1349 runs in T20s so far at an average of 28.70 and a strike rate of 179.62 with three centuries and four half-centuries. He also has a 41-ball century in List-A cricket, which is the second-fastest by an Indian after Yusuf Pathan.Playing for India is the ultimate goal for any cricketer but Urvil wants to pursue this dream a little differently. He believes that being part of CSK last year and his time with Gujarat Titans (GT) before that were two experiences that changed his thinking.
A century off just deliveries
The second-fastest by an Indian player in T20 cricketWATCH snippets of Urvil Patel's magnificent 119*(37) for Gujarat against Services on Day 1 of #SMAT 2025-26@IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/frJpZy9oiq
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) November 26, 2025