He has a ‘beaten black and blue’ look in his school uniform, and while the pressures of studying can be energy sapping for a fifth standard student, Ekansh Dobal has suddenly been burdened with expectations heavier than hard-bound NCERT textbooks.

At 9, Ekansh is Delhi’s youngest cricket centurion. The hard-hitting left-hander, who hit 124 off 77 balls with 18 fours and 4 sixes in an under-13 tournament, believes it’s his first step forward. “On television, when a batsman scores a hundred, removes his helmet and raises his bat, everyone stands up and applauds. I had always wanted to feel that experience but I would always get out early.

“In this match, I decided to get to my half-century and see how much further I could go. The bowling, to be honest, wasn’t exceptional and I realised this could be my chance because the ground was small, particularly from one side. I am glad I could score a century, it’s a very special feeling, and being your first makes it even more unforgettable,” he says.

Ekansh is proud of his new-found status and loves to flaunt it. “I know I am the youngest to score a century. I was also the youngest to take up cricket coaching when I registered with Sonnet club ( he started at 5),” he says.

Family affair
The interest is understandable. He has grown up watching his dad, former Delhi cricketer and a NCA Level II coach Sanjay Dobal, and elder brother Siddhant leave everyday with kitbags and has been a silent witness to cricketing discussions at dinner. Ekansh is an active participant now, and the sibling ‘rivalry’ is just beginning to surface.

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