Shivamogga: Prakhar Chaturvedi etched his name in Indian cricket history by scoring his first four-century against Mumbai in the final of Cooch Behar Trophy, India’s premier multi-day tournament for Under-19 men.
Breaking Yuvraj Singh’s record for the highest individual score in the Cooch Behar Trophy final, Chaturvedi not only secured victory for Karnataka on the basis of first innings lead but also made his name known in the cricket world. His unbeaten 404 now became the second highest individual score in the history of the tournament, an achievement that demanded respect and admiration.
Yuvraj’s previous highest score in a Cooch Behar Trophy final match was in December 1999, when he scored 358 in Punjab’s victory (on a first-innings lead) over a Bihar team that also included MS Dhoni. Vijay Zol’s 451 runs for Maharashtra against Assam in the 2011–12 season remains the highest individual score in the tournament.
The match began with Karnataka replying to Mumbai’s first innings score of 380, and as the cricket gods would have it, Chaturvedi found himself at the forefront of the charge. Opening the innings with Karthik SU, the duo stitched a century partnership, setting the stage for what was to come. Karthik also contributed a well-fought half-century, but it was the partnership that Chaturvedi formed with Harshil Dharmani that became the stuff of legends.
Chaturvedi and Dharmani together made a tremendous partnership of 290 runs for the second wicket, which dashed Mumbai’s hopes and took Karnataka beyond their score. Dharmani’s strong 169 complemented Chaturvedi’s sustained attack. Boundaries were broken, milestones were crossed, and the Shivamogga crowd found themselves witness to a batting masterclass.
As soon as Chaturvedi’s brilliant innings came to light, the record books were taken over. With two more half-centuries from Karthikeya KP and Hardik Raj, Chaturvedi remained steadfast at the crease while playing the captain’s innings. The scoreboard painted a picture of dominance – Karnataka reached 890 for 8.
