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The elite of Bombay cricket gathered at the Wankhede Stadium for what was, after all, an ordinary Ranji Trophy match against Gujarat. What brought them there was a sense of history in the making - for it was here that a diminutive schoolboy, aged all of 14, was scheduled to make his debut in first class cricket, becoming in the process the youngest ever to turn out for the champion side. Watched by, among others, Sunil Gavaskar and Eknath Solkar (second and third from left), the five foot two inch schoolboy takes guard to the off-spin of Nisarg Patel. The first two balls are played forward in defense. The third - a flighted delivery on the off stump - is driven through cover for four. 129 balls later, his score reads 100, with 12 fours - the youngest centurion in this class of cricket, and that too on debut...
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