2017-18 Ranji Trophy: 5 best performers from the first round

#1 Prashant Chopra

Prashant Chopra celebrates a milestone during his knock

Though his knock didn't help his team register a win, Himachal Pradesh's Prashant Chopra was easily the best performer of the first round of the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy.

After choosing to bat first on a flat track at Dharamsala, HP lost the wicket of PS Khanduri early. But, Prashant Chopra continued from where he left off in the previous season and played his natural game to take the game away from Punjab on the very first day.

Prashant, who scored 978 runs in 17 innings at an average of 58 last season, registered the first century of this year's tournament soon after lunch on day one, taking just 111 balls to reach the milestone. One thing that made him stand out among others last season was the rate at which he scored his runs (strike-rate of 85) and the case was no different in the first match of this season.

He reached his 200 off just 215 balls and remained unbeaten on 271 when the play came to an end on day one. He continued his assault on the Punjab bowlers on day 2 as he reached his triple-century off just 318 balls and looked hungry for more. His 363-ball vigil came to an end when he was dismissed by Pargat Singh for 338 that included 44 fours and two sixes.

That took his team to 729/8 in the first innings and earned his team three points from the clash, thanks to their 128-run first-innings lead.