Ten years ago, on a dusty, unassuming ground in a Mumbai suburb, cricketing history was rewritten by a 15-year-old boy. On 5 January 2016, Pranav Dhanawade, opening the batting for Smt KC Gandhi School, achieved the unthinkable in a school-level match, scoring an unbeaten 1009 runs and forever etching his name in the record books.
The Innings That Broke Every Record
The stage was a two-day inter-school match for the HT Bhandari Cup against Arya Gurukul. What transpired over those two days left the cricketing world in disbelief. Pranav faced 327 balls in his marathon knock, hammering 129 fours and 59 sixes at a staggering strike rate of 308.56. He batted for 396 minutes across six and a half hours over two days, single-handedly scoring nearly 70% of his team's colossal total of 1465 for 3 declared.
His journey to the quadruple-figure mark was a masterclass in concentration and stamina. Starting cautiously, he was on 45 at lunch on the first day. By stumps, he had accelerated to an unbelievable 652 not out. During that epic evening, records began to tumble. He surpassed contemporary prodigy Prithvi Shaw's Indian school record of 546 and then, the holy grail itself – the 117-year-old world record of 628 set by England's Arthur Collins in 1899.
A Quiet Celebration and a Father's Pride
As news spread, the second day saw reporters and curious locals flock to the ground. With the target of 1000 runs in sight, Pranav resumed his assault. By lunch, he was on 921, and soon after the break, he entered uncharted territory. The celebration was subdued – a young boy simply raising his bat on that dusty field, surrounded by scrambling cameras.
Behind the scenes, his father, Prashant, an autorickshaw driver from Kalyan, received a call mid-shift on the first day informing him his son was past 300 and going strong. He rushed to the ground, witnessing the carnage firsthand, and returned the next morning with Pranav's mother, Mohini, to see history being made. By Tuesday evening, their modest neighbourhood in Wayale Nagar was choked with TV vans as the world wanted to hear about the boy who scored a thousand.
Global Acclaim and the Weight of Expectation
The innings sparked a global reaction. Sachin Tendulkar congratulated him on social media, urging him to work hard. MS Dhoni spoke about the importance of proper guidance for the young man now in the limelight. The Guardian wryly noted he was the first to "navigate the nervous 990s." Michael Atherton mentioned it in a Test match broadcast. The Maharashtra government announced support for his education and coaching.
However, the monumental feat also brought immense pressure. In later years, Pranav, now in his mid-twenties, spoke candidly about the challenges that followed: inconsistency, tough selections, and the heavy burden of expectation. The COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted his path, while peers from his age group progressed. "Every time I walked out to bat, I felt the pressure," he admitted in an interview, highlighting the flip side of instant fame.
Yet, the sheer magnitude of that January day remains untarnished. A decade on, Pranav Dhanawade's 1009 not out stands as a towering, almost mythical, monument in school sports. It is a powerful reminder that on any given day, on any patch of grass, history can choose the most unexpected hero to announce itself, transforming a simple game of bat and ball into something truly legendary.
