Hyderabad opener Aman Rao produced a career-defining performance on Tuesday, smashing an unbeaten 200 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy clash against Bengal at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot.
Batting with maturity well beyond his years, the 21-year-old anchored Hyderabad’s imposing total of 352 for 5 after his side was asked to bat first.
Rao dramatically reached the landmark, launching the final ball of the innings for a six to bring up his double century. It was only his third appearance in List A cricket, making the knock even more remarkable.
Born in the United States and raised in Hyderabad, the right-hander converted his maiden List A hundred into a dominant double ton, batting through the innings and facing 154 deliveries.
During his stay at the crease, Rao struck 12 fours and 13 sixes, taking on a high-quality Bengal bowling attack that included India internationals Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, and Akash Deep, along with Shahbaz Ahmed.
| Player | Team | Score | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prithvi Shaw | Mumbai | 227* | Puducherry | 2021 |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | Maharashtra | 220* | Uttar Pradesh | 2022 |
| Sanju Samson | Kerala | 212* | Goa | 2019 |
| Swastik Samal | Odisha | 212 | Saurashtra | 2025 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Mumbai | 203 | Jharkhand | 2019 |
| Karn Kaushal | Uttarakhand | 202 | Sikkim | 2018 |
| Samarth Vyas | Saurashtra | 200 | Manipur | 2022 |
| Aman Rao | Hyderabad | 200* | Bengal | 2026 |
Showing no signs of intimidation, Rao scored 120 of his runs off the experienced pace trio, including eight towering sixes.
Rao reached his maiden List A fifty in 65 balls and brought up his first hundred in 108 deliveries before shifting gears dramatically. His second hundred came in just 46 balls as he accelerated through the latter stages of the innings.
Despite Hyderabad appearing set to fall just short of the milestone, Rao held his nerve on 194 and deposited the final delivery over long-on to finish on exactly 200 not out.
The innings is now the highest individual score by a Hyderabad batter in List A cricket and the ninth double century in Vijay Hazare Trophy history. It is also the second double hundred of the ongoing season, following Odisha opener Swastik Samal’s 212 earlier in the tournament.
Rao’s rise has been rapid. After impressing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and earning an IPL 2026 contract with Rajasthan Royals, he has now announced himself as one of India’s most exciting young white-ball batters.
His fearless approach, clean hitting, and ability to dominate elite bowling attacks underline his growing reputation.
