India U19 captain Ayush Mhatre delivered a breathtaking performance in the second unofficial Test against England U19 at Chelmsford. Chasing 335 runs on the final day, Mhatre led from the front with a sensational 126 off just 80 balls. Despite the brilliant knock, a middle-order collapse derailed India’s chase, and the game ended in a hard-fought draw.
India had a rocky start when opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi was dismissed for a golden duck on the first ball. But Mhatre turned the momentum with an explosive century, reaching the landmark in just 64 balls. His knock included 13 fours and six sixes, making it the third-fastest Youth Test century of all time.
Mhatre Breaks McCullum’s and Tiwary’s Youth Test Records
With his total of 206 runs in the match, including 80 in the first innings, Mhatre became only the second batter after Brendon McCullum to score over 200 runs in a Youth Test at a strike rate above 100. Mhatre’s strike rate stood at 121.17, compared to McCullum’s 108.41 against South Africa in 2001.
He also broke Manoj Tiwary’s record for the most sixes in a Youth Test, smashing nine sixes during the match. Mhatre had earlier hit a century in the first unofficial Test, proving his consistent form throughout the tour.
India looked set for a stunning win at 217 for 2 in the 28th over. However, a collapse saw them lose four wickets for just 46 runs. The lower order, led by Harvansh Pangalia and Kanishk Chouhan, ensured the team held on for a draw by finishing at 290 for 6 in 43 overs.
Both unofficial Tests between the two sides ended in draws. Earlier, India had edged England 3-2 in the ODI series, where Suryavanshi was the standout performer with 355 runs, including a memorable 143 in the fourth ODI.
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