Son of an auto-rickshaw driver in Kalyan, 15-year-old Mumbai school cricketer Pranav Dhanawade had one goal—to be a hard-hitting batsman and score a lot of runs.
On Tuesday, his dream finally came true as K.C. Gandhi High School student scored a world record-shattering innings of 1,009 not out in an H.T. Bhandari Cup Under-16 inter-school tournament match.
Pranav's epic 323-ball knock consisted of a staggering 59 sixes and 129 fours. His team, K.C. Gandhi High School, declared their innings at 1,465 for six with Pranav remaining unbeaten at 1,009.
He batted for 395 minutes and had a strike rate of 312.38. The youngster broke a 116-year-old record after surpassing 652 on Monday, thus taking over the reins of the highest individual score (including minor cricket) from A.E.J. Collins of England.
The wicket-keeper batsman started playing cricket at the tender age of five at Modern Cricket Club under coach Mobin Sheikh and currently idolises India's limited-overs skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
The Class 10 student also participated in the Mumbai selection trials and accompanied his teammates from Kalyan to Churchgate for the matches.
Indian cricketers hail Dhanawade for record-breaking innings
Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar and veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to congratulate Dhanawade
"Congrats #PranavDhanawade on being the first ever to score 1000 runs in an innings. Well done and work hard. You need to scale new peaks!," Tendulkar posted on his Twitter handle.
Harbhajan was equally effusive in his praise for the wonder kid.
"well played...no matter what levels cricket it is but numbers are just unbelievable.another @sachin_rt in making?," he tweeted.
Former India Test opener Aakash Chopra wrote on Twitter: "Pranav Dhanawade has scored 1000 runs in an innings...well played, son???? Request to media—please leave him alone??"
Commentator Alan Wilkins tweeted: "The numbers for Pranav Dhanawade are mind-numbing! 1009 from 323 balls. 59x6s, 129x4s. 870 runs in boundaries! Did anyone in Mumbai see it?"
India limited-overs skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and star batsman Ajinkya Rahane also congratulated the young prodigy.
"It is not a joke. It is serious business. It is a tremendous effort to score 1009 runs in an innings. The talent he has needs to be nurtured in the right direction. His parents and coach need to guide him well as this talent needs to go a long way,” Dhoni said at a press conference here before leaving for Australia tour.
Ajinkya Rahane also praised the 15-year-old and hoped to see him play for India in future.
“Good luck and congratulations to Pranav for this feat. 1009 runs is difficult to say and he has scored it. I hope he plays this way and I want to see him play with us in the national team in future. I will advise him to stay focused and practise and concentrate on his batting and do well,” Rahane said.
Maharashtra to bear all expenses for teen cricket prodigy
Impressed by Pranav Dhanawade's international record-busting performance, the Maharashtra government has decided to foot all his educational and coaching expenses, state Education Minister Vinod Tawde said.
"Pranav's spectacular performance scoring over 1000 runs and creating a new world record, is indeed a matter of great pride for the entire state and the whole country," Tawde said in a congratulatory message.
The minister said that the state government offers all help to the 15-year-old Thane schoolboy and ensure his complete coaching in cricket through the sports department.
"We shall offer assistance to Pranav for his further education and cricket coaching," Tawde assured after speaking with the cricket hero's father and congratulating him.