Nayan Mongia still remembers the double hundred he scored for Baroda against Mumbai at the Islam Gymkhana Ground in the Cooch Behar Trophy (under-19) match in 1988.
The former Indian wicketkeeper rates that knock — he made 224 opening the innings — as one of the turning points of his career.
Nearly three decades on, his son, Mohit Mongia, went past that score in the Kerala-Baroda match, which ended at Alappuzha on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old Baroda captain made 260, off just 266 balls, with 28 fours and nine sixes.
“I was told that mine was the highest individual score for Baroda in the Cooch Behar Trophy, and it is an innings I will never forget, but I am delighted that it has been broken by my son,” Nayan told Sportstar over phone from Baroda on Thursday.
Mohit said he wasn’t aware of his feat till his mother, Tanu, told him. “This is one of the best innings of my career,” he said. “It was a good track for batting and I was able to time my strokes right from the beginning.”
Mohit also bowls left-arm spin but never thought of inheriting the keeping gloves from his father, who played 44 Tests and 140 one-dayers for India. “I used to bowl more often during my under-16 years, and even had a five-wicket haul against Mumbai, but of late I have been focusing more on batting,” he said.
“My aim is to play for the India Under-19 team in the World Cup.”
Nayan had gone on to be picked for the India Under-19 World Cup team in 1988. He certainly wouldn’t mind his son emulating him in that regard as well.
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