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At just 18 years old, Drona Desai has made history with an extraordinary 498-run knock for St Xaviers (Loyola) in the Diwan Ballubhai Cup under-19 multi-day tournament. His impressive performance took place against JL English School at the Shivay cricket ground in Gandhinagar on Tuesday, earning him a place among Indian cricket’s highest scorers.
Desai’s innings lasted 320 balls and included seven sixes and a staggering 86 boundaries. His dominant display led his team to an overwhelming victory by an innings and 712 runs, made even more challenging for the opposition, who played the entire match with just 10 players. One of JL English School’s players had reportedly arrived late to the game.
Despite falling just short of the 500-run milestone, Desai was pleased with his achievement. He admitted that he wasn’t aware of how close he was to the landmark. “There was no scoreboard, and my team didn’t inform me. I went to play my stroke and got out, but I’m happy to have made those runs,” he said, reflecting on his near-500 innings.
Drona Desai hails from Gujarat and has been making waves in youth cricket for several years. Having already represented the state at the under-14 level, this latest feat will likely catch the attention of selectors for Gujarat’s under-19 squad. His cricket journey began at the age of seven, inspired by his idol Sachin Tendulkar.
Desai attributes much of his success to his father, who recognized his potential early on and ensured he got proper coaching under the mentorship of Jayprakash Patel, a coach known for nurturing over 40 cricketers in the region. “My father pushed me hard as he believed I could become a good cricketer. Since grade 8, I only went to school for exams, spending the rest of my time playing cricket,” Desai shared.
With this remarkable performance, Desai now joins a prestigious group of cricketers with high school cricket scores, alongside Pranav Dhanawade (1009*) and India’s Prithvi Shaw (546).
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