India U-19 captain Ayush Mhatre etched his name into the record books on Wednesday, July 23, by slamming the fastest-ever century in youth Test history. The young skipper was in blistering form as he led from the front during India’s dramatic chase of a daunting 355-run target on the final day of the Test against England.
Mhatre had already showcased his talent earlier in the series, scoring a century in the first innings of the opening Test, followed by a handy 32 as the game ended in a draw. In the current match, he built on that momentum with a fluent 80 off 90 balls in the first innings. England had declared at 324/5, setting up a challenging target for the visitors.
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However, India’s chase got off to a nightmare start, with opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi falling for a golden duck. Mhatre, though, initially took his time before flipping the switch. A six and a four in the third over signaled the start of the counterattack, followed by three more boundaries off Alex Green in the fifth over. He showed no mercy, smashing Green for 14 runs in one over as he quickly seized control of the game.
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He reached his half-century in just 25 balls, setting the tone for a chase that resembled an ODI more than a traditional youth Test. By the 10-over mark, India had raced to 78. When Vihaan Malhotra was dismissed, the scoreboard already read 104/1 after just 14 overs.
Mhatre then found a solid partner in Abhigyan Kundu, and the pair kept the scoreboard ticking at a rapid pace. Kundu played a smart supporting role, allowing Mhatre to push on without added pressure. As Mhatre neared his landmark, he launched another six before calmly working the singles to bring up a historic hundred off just 64 balls.
In doing so, he broke the previous youth Test record of 88 balls set by England's George Bell against Sri Lanka in 2022. Interestingly, Mhatre now holds two of the top three fastest hundreds in youth Test history his earlier ton in the first Test came off 107 balls, which now ranks third.
He eventually fell for a dazzling 126 off 80 deliveries, studded with 13 boundaries and five towering sixes, but not before turning the match on its head with one of the most aggressive innings ever seen at the U-19 level.