Debutant Prithvi Shaw on Monday became the youngest cricketer to score a century in the final match of Duleep Trophy, reaching the milestone while propping up India Red against India Blue on the opening day in Lucknow.
At 17 years and 320 days, Shaw became the second youngest player to notch up a three-figure mark in the Duleep Trophy, many years after Sachin Tendulkar created one when he was 17 years and 262 days old. Prithvi Shaw has gathered a lot of praise right from the beginning of his career when he got a hundred on his Ranji debut.
Owing to the Mumbaikar's 154 and a fluent century by the experienced Dinesh Karthik, India Red finished the first day of the five-day final at 317 for five in 83.3 overs.
The day's play ended nearly seven overs less than the quota at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium.
Karthik made 111 off 155 balls during his 211-run third- wicket partnership with opener Shaw.
In his Ranji Trophy debut earlier this year, Shaw had slammed a century and helped Mumbai reach the final of the tournament beating Tamil Nadu by six wickets.
Shaw burst into the scene after he aggregated 546 off 330 balls at a Harris Shield school match in Mumbai, recording the third highest score in any form of cricket. It is the same tournament that brought Tendulkar into the limelight nearly three decades ago.
Shaw also displayed decent form on the tour of England recently where he played five youth ODI matches.
After India Red elected to bat first, Shaw, along with Akhil Herwadkar, stitched a 74-run partnership for the first wicket before the latter was run-out for 25.
Surya Kumar Yadav did not last long, but Shaw joined forces with skipper Karthik to take India Red to a position of strength.
When Karthik got out at the team score of 300, India Red were comfortably placed with some batting to come, but two quick wickets before the close of play pegged them back a bit.
Left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt (3/83) was the most successful bowler for India Blue.
While Shaw struck 18 boundaries and a six while facing 249 balls, Karthik hit 12 fours.
India Red had topped the table with seven points during the round-robin contest.
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