Follow UsHe was signed and retained by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a mere 30 lakh, but Urvil Patel could prove to be one of the most important players for the Super Kings come the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL).
One of the most explosive opening batters in the country, Urvil began the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy today with a stunning 31-ball hundred for Gujarat against Services to remind everyone of his X-factor. In an outrageous knock, the 27-year-old finished with 119* off 37 balls, hammering 12 fours and 10 sixes as Gujarat chased down 183 in just 12.3 overs.
This knock means that Urvil, who already holds the record for the joint-fastest century by an Indian in T20s (28 balls), also holds the record for the second-fastest ton by an Indian in T20 cricket.
Fastest T20 centuries by an Indian batter
28 balls - Urvil Patel Gujarat v Tripura, Indore 2024
28 balls - Abhishek Sharma - Punjab vs Meghalaya, Rajkot 2024
31 balls - Urvil Patel Gujarat vs Services, Hyderabad 2025
With the ton, Urvil also joined an elite list of batters to have smashed 3+ centuries in SMAT.
Most centuries in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
4 - Abhishek Sharma
3* - Urvil Patel
3 - Unmukt Chand
3 - Ruturaj Gaikwad
3 - Ishan Kishan
3 - Shreyas Iyer
Last season, signed as an injury replacement for Vansh Bedi, Urvil played three matches and produced impressive cameos, scoring 68 runs at a strike rate of 212.50. He showcased his talent in the clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens, hammering 31 off just 11 balls batting at No.3.
Come IPL 2026, it’ll be a shootout between himself and Ayush Mhatre to open the batting for CSK.