Musheer Khan Shines on Duleep Trophy Debut, Surpassing Expectations with a Century

Musheer Khan made an unforgettable Duleep Trophy debut, smashing an unbeaten century to lead India B’s recovery on the opening day of the 2024 tournament at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Despite his brother Sarfaraz Khan’s struggles, managing just 9 runs off 35 balls, Musheer stole the spotlight with his stellar performance, notching up 105 not out of 227 balls, which included 10 boundaries and two sixes.

India B found themselves in trouble early on, reduced to 94 for seven after a cautious start by Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Abhimanyu Easwaran, who managed a 33-run opening stand. Avesh Khan, along with Khaleel Ahmed and Akash Deep, dismantled the top and middle order, each claiming two wickets. But Musheer, in partnership with tail-ender Navdeep Saini, turned the tide, adding an unbeaten 110-run stand to the scorecard.

The 19-year-old Musheer’s aggressive celebration upon reaching his century was mirrored by his brother Sarfaraz in the dressing room, who was seen roaring and clapping in support. This knock marks Musheer’s third first-class century and adds to his growing reputation as a player who thrives in crucial moments.

Musheer’s feat in the Duleep Trophy puts him in esteemed company, matching the achievements of legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, both of whom scored centuries on their debut in the same tournament over three decades ago. Earlier this year, Musheer also broke Tendulkar’s record to become the youngest batter to score a century in a Ranji Trophy final.

Having already made a name for himself with impressive performances in the 2024 U-19 World Cup and the 2023/24 Ranji Trophy, Musheer Khan is proving to be a rising star in Indian cricket. With his consistent display of talent and temperament, the Mumbai middle-order batter is increasingly being seen as a strong contender for a place in the Indian Test squad, especially ahead of the upcoming series against Bangladesh.