Eleven-year-old Atiksh Gupta from Hyderabad is making a mark in junior cricket. An opening batter and off-spinner, he trains at the Arshad Ayub Cricket Academy in Masab Tank under coach Imran Khan. He is in Class 6 at Edify World School, Attapur.
17 innings in two months
In under-12 and under-14 tournaments over the last two months, his scores read: 101*, 36*, 7, 56*, 101*, 60*, 41, 22, 16*, 17, 30, 30, 94*, 15, 43*, 54*, 57. That includes two unbeaten centuries. (* not out)
He has 1,700 runs and 63 wickets in 130 matches so far. In his first official match, he took 5 for 9 and won the Best Bowler award.
Telangana first, then India
He has followed cricket since he was four, watching matches with his father, and is an MS Dhoni fan. Over the next three years he wants to improve his game and fitness, then play for Telangana and later India. In 2021 he was one of 10 children worldwide picked as an FC Barcelona Junior Virtual Mascot.
