Duleep Trophy, Musheer Khan shines with 181-run knock: Decoding profile
19-year-old batting sensation Musheer Khan played a scintillating knock for India B against India A in the 2024 Duleep Trophy opener. The youngster was unfortunate to miss out on a double-hundred as he departed after scoring 181 off 373 balls in the first innings. His stellar knock was laced with 16 fours and five maximums. Here we decode his profile.
A knock of substance
This was a knock of substance from Musheer, who saw India B be under all sorts of trouble after being reduced to 94/7 at Bengaluru's M.Chinnaswamy Stadium on Day 1. What Musheer did was to take his time and play as per the situation. He added 205 runs with Navdeep Saini (56) for the eighth wicket before falling to Kuldeep Yadav on Day 2.
Do you know?
Musheer and Saini recorded highest eighth-wicket partnership in Duleep Trophy history. They added added 205 runs in 403 balls for the eighth wicket before the former departed. They broke the 14-year-old record of West Zone duo Ramesh Powar and Abhishek Nayar, who recorded 197 runs for the eighth wicket against North Zone in 2010.
3rd-highest score by a teenager on Duleep Trophy debut
Musheer now owns the 3rd-highest score by teenagers on Duleep Trophy debut after Baba Aparajith (South Zone) - 212 vs West Zone, 2013 and Yash Dhull (North Zone) - 193 vs East Zone, 2022. Musheer bettered Sachin Tendulkar's record for West Zone. Tendulkar smashed 159 vs East Zone in 1991.
Third hundred in FC cricket
This was Musheer's third ton across seven matches in FC cricket. With his latest knock, he has raced to 710 runs at an average of 60-plus. The tally also includes a solitary half-century.
His journey in FC cricket
Musheer is the younger brother of Team India's middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan. He made his First-Class debut for Mumbai in 2022 against Saurashtra. The youngster's maiden three-figure score in the format turned out to be a double-ton (203*) as he starred in Mumbai's 2024 Ranji Trophy quarter-final clash against Baroda. He also scored a match-winning hundred in the final.
Summary of Day 1
On Day 1, Musheer walked in when India B were 33/1 following the dismissal of skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran. The youngster held his fort from one end as the likes of Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant, and Washington Sundar registered single-digit scores. His century stand with Saini meant India B finished the day at 202/7.
Second-highest run-getter in 2024 U-19 World Cup
India's Musheer was the second-highest run-getter in the 2024 U-19 World Cup in South Africa. He returned with 360 runs from seven matches at an impressive average of 60. His 131 against NZ was the second-highest individual score in the tournament. Overall, he slammed two centuries. The star player also claimed seven wickets with his slow left-arm spin at an average of 26.57.
