Agni Chopra, son of renowned filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra and film-critic Anupama Chopra, is making headlines for his outstanding cricketing prowess rather than treading the familiar path of the silver screen. The 25-year-old has taken the cricketing world by storm in his debut Ranji Trophy season, achieving a feat that puts him in the record books.
Agni Chopra, playing as the No.3 batter for Mizoram in the Plate division, has become the first cricketer ever to score centuries in each of his first four first-class matches. Breaking a record set by West Indies’ Joe Solomon in the late 1950s, Agni’s centuries came against Sikkim (166), Nagaland (166), Arunachal (114), and Meghalaya (105 and 101).
Expressing his passion for cricket, Agni shared, “I had always been passionate about cricket from a young age. There was no reason to be so since there was none remotely connected to cricket in my family. But I always knew that this is what I wanted to be.” His journey started at Shivaji Park and MIG Academy, where he played for Mumbai U-14, U-16, U-19, and U-23 before making it to the Ranji probables.
Undeterred by setbacks, Agni seized the opportunity to participate in selection trials for Mizoram, a move that has proven to be a game-changer. The 25-year-old batsman has accumulated a staggering 767 runs in just four matches, boasting an impressive average of 95.87. Despite the disparity in bowling quality between the Plate and Elite Groups, Agni’s earlier accomplishments as a junior batsman and his leadership role for the Mumbai Under-19 team underscore his cricketing pedigree.
Reflecting on his journey, Agni remarked, “I’m trying to stay in the present, and my goal is to bring Mizoram into the Elite division.” His immediate focus is on propelling Mizoram to the final of the Plate Group, which would secure automatic entry into the Elite division next year.
Agni remains pragmatic about his extraordinary run-scoring spree, emphasizing that personal achievements matter little if the team fails to qualify for the Elite division. He told NDTV, “Yes, I have scored five centuries, but it doesn’t matter if we won’t be able to qualify for the Elite, that’s the aim.”
