Abhigyan Kundu Makes History with Remarkable Double Century
In an impressive display on December 16, 2025, Abhigyan Kundu made headlines during the U19 Men’s Asia Cup, held at the Sevens Stadium in Dubai. The 17-year-old cricketer achieved a notable milestone, becoming the first Indian and only the second player ever to score a double century in Youth One Day Internationals (ODIs). Earlier this year, South Africa’s Jorich van Schalkwyk had set the record at 215 runs.
In a key Group A match against Malaysia, Kundu scored a stunning 209 runs off just 125 balls, featuring 17 boundaries and nine sixes. His performance helped India set a massive total of 408 runs for seven wickets in their 50 overs. This remarkable achievement also made Kundu the Indian with the highest individual score in Youth ODIs, surpassing Ambati Rayudu’s long-standing record of 177 runs against England in 2002.
Top Individual Scores in Youth ODIs
- Jorich van Schalkwyk (SA U19) – 215 vs. Zimbabwe U19 (July 25, 2025)
- Abhigyan Kundu (IND U19) – 209 vs. Malaysia (December 16, 2025)
- Hasitha Boyagoda (SL U19) – 191 vs. Kenya U19 (January 23, 2018)
- Jakob Bhula (NZ U19) – 180 vs. Kenya U19 (January 17, 2018)
- Theo Doropoulos (AUS U19) – 179* vs. England U19 (February 11, 2003)
- Ambati Rayudu (IND U19) – 177* vs. England U19 (August 30, 2002)
- Donovan Pagon (WI U19) – 176 vs. Scotland U19 (January 21, 2002)
- Dan Lawrence (ENG U19) – 174 vs. Fiji U19 (January 27, 2016)
Focused on Future Success
After his magnificent innings, Kundu expressed his eagerness to carry his form into the knockout stages of the tournament. “I aim to keep turning opportunities into big scores as we move forward,” he mentioned during a mid-match interview.
On setting a new record, Kundu said, “It feels fantastic to have achieved this. I plan to set even higher targets for myself in the future.”
He added, “The pitch was great, and I believed that if I could bat for around 45 overs, runs would flow easily because the bowlers would eventually make mistakes.” Kundu emphasized the importance of building his innings and his ability to adapt his playing style as needed.
Currently, Kundu is the top run-scorer in the ongoing Asia Cup, accumulating 263 runs in just three matches, with an impressive average of 263 and a strike rate of 151.14.
His remarkable talent and dedication suggest that this young cricketer’s journey has only just begun.
– Ends –
Published by Sabyasachi Chowdhury on December 16, 2025.
