15-year-old opener Ayush Shinde slammed an unbeaten 419 runs for General Education Academy in their win over Parle Tilak Vidya Mandir in the Under-16 Harris Shield at the Cross Maidan in Mumbai on Monday.

With this score, Ayush entered the record books as the fourth-highest run scorer in the boys’ Under-16 tournament.

“I wanted to score 500 but our team overs got over. I’m happy but I have a long way to go. My first aim is to get a place in Mumbai under 16 team. I know that to play for Mumbai I need to score such big runs on a consistent basis. I’m big fan of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. I hope one day I too play for India,” Ayush said after his mammoth innings.

While Ayush can bask in the glory of entering into the record books of this August tournament, he owes his father a lot of credit for his journey.

Ayush’s father Sunil, a tennis ball cricketer in Satara decided to migrate to Mumbai a decade ago after his son showed great interest in his cricket. He now runs a small store in Navi Mumbai’s Kamothe where works as an artisan, who fixes gold chains and ornaments.

“He must’ve been six years old when he began to show interest in cricket. Being a tennis ball cricketer, we thought let’s shift to Mumbai. My job is skill-based so I can work anywhere. We came to Navi Mumbai and stayed in a rented house,” Sunil recalls.

Shinde’s innings of unbeaten 419 came off 152 balls which had 43 fours and 24 sixes. His innings enabled his side to beat Parle Tilak by 464 runs.

Sunil says his son got more stubborn last season when he didn’t get a chance to play a game for the Mumbai Under-14 team which traveled to Rajkot.

“He was benched for four games and he was so hurt after not getting a chance. He was the best batsman in Harris Shield last season but still didn’t get an opportunity. He used to tell his coaches and complain that he didn’t get any chance. They said, ‘Score more runs’. It stuck in his mind. Now he wants to score 500 runs. He says ‘They didn’t take me despite scoring 100-200’s, now I will score 500 runs’,” his father adds.

Like many youngsters, Ayush’s dream is to play for India one day. His father says he is passionate and focused. He doesn’t skip his practice and if his parents want to travel to meet a relative, he is clear that he won’t sacrifice his session.

“He has broken 3 TVs at home doing drills. Sometimes, if we are going to meet our relatives, he will say you go, I will do my practice. He sleeps with his bat. He is passionate and I wish he achieves what he wants to,” his father explains.

Brief Scores; General Education Academy: 648/5 in 45 overs (Ayush Shinde 419 not out, 152 balls, 164 mins, 43x4s, 24x6s Aarya Karle 78, Ishan Pathak 62 not out) beat Parle Tilak Vidya Mandir: 184 all out in 39.4 overs (Adhesh Tawade 41, Devaraya Sawant 34) by 464 runs.