Karnataka won the final of the Cooch Behar Trophy 2023-24, defeating Mumbai by a 510-run first-innings lead. It’s a historic achievement in itself because of the fact that Karnataka won their maiden U-19 title. However, more than the team, it was a player, who became the centre of attention and made the headlines.

Prakhar Chaturvedi, who opened for Karnataka in the title clash, scored 404* runs after facing 638 balls. His knock included 46 fours and three sixes.

As Prakhar played this monumental innings, he broke several records, etching his name in the cricketing books. First and foremost, he left the legendary India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh behind, beating him in the record for most runs scored in a Cooch Behar final. Yuvraj had scored 358 runs while playing for Punjab against Bihar in the 1999 edition of the competition.

Prakhar also became the first quadruple centurion in a Cooch Behar summit clash. His 404-run knock is only behind Vijay Zol’s unbeaten 451 in the list of highest individual scores recorded in a single innings in a Cooch Behar season.

The youngster hails from Bangalore with his both parents being from a science background. 

Prakhar entered into cricket primarily in 2017 when he joined an academy at the age of 11 in Bengaluru. Former Karnataka Ranji captain and coach Karthik Jeshwanth took him under his wings at the Six Cricket Academy in the Padukone; Dravid Centre of Sports Excellence.

As revealed by Jeshwanth himself, Prakhar struggled to even make the state U-16 team. But now, here he is, writing his own destiny.

(As of May 2024)