Teenager Drona Desai hits 498 runs in school cricket in Gujarat | Cricket News
Eighteen-year-old Drona Desai has regered his name in the record book as he struck 498 runs for his school St Xaviers (Loyola) against JL English School during Diwan Ballubhai Cup under-19 multi day tournament at Shivay cricket ground, Gandhinagar on Tuesday.
The annual tournament is conducted Central Board of Cricket Ahmedabad which comes under Gujarat Cricket Association.
Desai became the sixth batsman in the country to score such a tall score. Mumbai’s Pranav Dhanawade (1009 not out), Prithvi Shaw (546), Dr Havewalla (515), Chamanlal (506 not out) and Arman Jaffer (498) were the previous highest run getters in an innings.
Desai said he was upset that he missed out on the 500 runs mark as he wasn’t aware he was so near to the milestone. “There is no scoreboard in the ground and my team didn’t inform me that I was batting on 498, I went to play my stroke and got out but I’m happy that I managed to get those runs,” Desai said. His innings came off 320 balls which had seven sixes and 86 fours.
His team regered an innings and 712 runs win over JL English school, who played the entire game with ten players as one player walked in late. The number three batsman for his side Desai has played for Gujarat under 14 team and is now hoping to find a place in state under 19 side. He says he was moved to take up the game after he watched Sachin Tendulkar bat.
“I began to play cricket at the age of seven and my father pushed me hard as he felt I have in me to become a good cricketer. He took me to JP Sir (Jayprakash Patel) who had coached more than 40 cricketers. Such is the scenario that since standard 8 to 12, I just went to school for my exams. I just continued playing cricket and am hoping to make it big one day.”
