In a noteworthy debut during the Ranji Trophy 2023-24, Agni Chopra, son of acclaimed Bollywood film director Vidhu Vinod Chopra, made headlines with a stunning century while representing Mizoram. Despite his remarkable innings, Mizoram faced defeat at the hands of Sikkim by four wickets in a thrilling encounter.
Chopra’s impactful knock came in the first innings, where he scored 166 runs off 179 deliveries, including 19 boundaries and seven maximums, single-handedly lifting Mizoram to a total of 214. His effort stood out in a challenging situation where seven other batters succumbed for ducks. Although Mizoram was asked to follow on, Chopra once again displayed his prowess with the bat, contributing a quick 92 runs as the team posted a second-innings total of 397.
Sikkim’s response was anchored by Sumit Singh and Ashish Thapa, with Sumit bringing up a century and Thapa narrowly missing the three-figure mark. Despite the valiant efforts of Mizoram’s bowlers, including KC Cariappa and Mohit Jangra, who collectively took six wickets, Sikkim secured victory by chasing down the target of 170 runs on Day 4.
In the second innings, Mohit Jangra’s crucial 126 played a pivotal role in setting the challenging target. Mizoram exhibited resilience with the ball, but Sikkim’s determined batting, led by Ashish Thapa and Sumit Singh, both scoring half-centuries, ultimately secured the win for their team. Despite the loss, Agni Chopra’s debut century remains a bright spot in Mizoram’s Ranji Trophy campaign.
