Harvansh Singh's Century

Back in 2017, Damandeep Singh faced a tough decision when he moved to Canada to reunite with his family. He gave his son, Harvansh Singh, a choice: join him in Canada and build a career in Canadian cricket or stay in India to pursue his dream. Without hesitation, Harvansh chose the latter, driven by a passion to represent India on the international stage. 

That decision has now paid off. On Tuesday, playing for the Indian U-19 team, Harvansh scored a brilliant century (117 off 143 balls, including seven boundaries and six sixes) during the second Youth Test against Australia U-19 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. His outstanding performance propelled India to a formidable total of 492 runs. Despite an early setback, Australia ended the day at 142-3, thanks to captain Oliver Peake's unbeaten 62.

After reaching his century, Harvansh couldn’t contain his joy. He let out a roar of triumph, turned to his father in the stands, and bowed—a heartfelt tribute to the sacrifices they had made together. The 17-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Gandhidham then celebrated with a high-five. 

Damandeep, a truck driver in Canada, was overwhelmed with pride, waving the Indian flag throughout his son’s remarkable innings. Speaking to The Times of India, he shared that it had always been the family's dream to play for the nation, a dream he and his brothers couldn’t fulfil. "Now, we are proud of him (Harvansh)," he said. Neighbours and relatives often tell Harvansh he is realising their shared dream. Even his younger sister is learning cricket, also as a wicketkeeper.

Harvansh started the day with a score of seven, alongside captain Soham Patwardhan (61 off 124 balls). Although Patwardhan fell early to a delivery from Oliver Patterson, Harvansh took control, confidently handling both spinners and pacers. His smart cuts, pulls, and drives left the Australian bowlers frustrated. 

A huge admirer of Yuvraj Singh, Harvansh hit six sixes, most of them sent soaring over mid-wicket and long-on—reminiscent of his idol’s signature style. Though he kept losing partners at the other end, Harvansh remained focused, eventually forming a crucial 90-run partnership with Anmoljeet Singh for the last wicket before being dismissed by Riley Kingsell. His innings finally came to an end when Christian Howe took a catch, wrapping up India’s dominant first innings.

Brief scores:  

India U-19: 492 in 133.3 overs (Nitya J Pandya 94, KP Karthikeya 71, Soham Patwardhan 61, Nikhil Kumar 61, Harvansh Singh 117)  

Australia U-19: 142-3 in 44 overs (Oliver Peake 62, Alexander Lee Young 45)  

Harvansh’s century has not only secured a strong position for India but also marked a proud moment for his family and a significant milestone in his young cricketing career.