What Links 12th Fail And This Mizoram Batter?

His pa is famed film-maker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, his ma is celebrated movie commentator Anupama Chopra, but Agni Dev Chopra's passion is not movies, but cricket.

Agni Dev Chopra, the talented son of film-maker Vidhu Vinod Chopra and movie commentator Anupama Chopra, is making waves on the domestic cricket circuit.

Representing Mizoram in the Ranji Trophy Plate League, Agni has been consistently delivering outstanding performances.

Agni smashed a second consecutive double century recently, scoring a magnificent 218 off 269 balls against Manipur.

This feat, coupled with his previous three centuries in the season, has solidified his position as one of the most promising young talents in Indian cricket.

What makes Agni's journey even more remarkable is his unique path to first class cricket.

A passionate cricket lover from Thiruvananthapuram recently tumbled upon Agni's extraordinary cricket records and couldn't resist sharing his astonishment.

Captivated by the young batter's stunning achievements in first class cricket, said cricket aficionado who answers to the name Shashi Tharoor tweeted: 'As one who browses Indian domestic scores whenever he can, I came up short with this amazing find -- an Indian batsman who averages a Bradmanesque 99.06 in 9 first-class matches, with 8 centuries and 4 fifties in 17 innings!

'His name is Agni Dev Chopra, he was born in Detroit, and he plays for Mizoram! All I could find on him is a February profile on @ESPNcricinfo. When will our mainstream cricket journalists check him out?'

Agni's mum had this cute response to Tharoor's tweet: 'I gave birth to him.'

Initially representing Mumbai at the under-19 and under-23 levels, Agni faced stiff competition for a place in the star-studded Mumbai senior team.

Following advice from his coach Khuspreet Singh, the 25 year old decided to play for another team to secure more playing time, as he was struggling to break into the Mumbai senior team.

He made the strategic decision to shift to Mizoram, where he has flourished.

Agni's debut in the Ranji Trophy was nothing short of sensational. He scored centuries in each of his first four first class matches, with scores of 105, 101, 114, 10, 164, 15, 166, and 92. This extraordinary feat has never been achieved before.

'Maybe I am not good enough, so I wasn't picked (at the IPL auction). For me, I want to be picked for anything based on my pedigree; it shouldn't be because of anything else.' Agni said.

'I don't think my dad would ever pick up the phone and tell anyone just because I asked him to. I have to be good enough so that they are calling my dad, rather than my dad calling them,' he added.

Asked about joining the movies, Agni firmly stated, 'I was never interested in movies. I mean I love watching movies and have a great time, but it was never my passion.'

Agni's dad, who scored his biggest hit with his latest film 12th Fail, had this valuable advice to impart: 'If you become a cobbler, be the best in your lane.' This philosophy has resonated with Agni, who strives for excellence in everything he does.

Agni attended trials at the National Cricket Academy where he was noticed by Mizoram's talent scouts.

'Coming here in Mizoram, everyone has been very welcoming and really included me. There are two more professionals here, KC bhai (K C Cariappa) and Mohit Jangra, who have been incredibly supportive and welcoming. I've even picked up a few Mizo words and phrases, and I don't feel like an outsider at all,' Agni shared.

While the standard of bowling in the Plate Group may be lower compared to the Elite Group, Agni remains focused on his performance: 'People will say what they have to say, but at the end of the day, it's about your performance. There are many players in the same division who aren't scoring as many runs. The standard is the same for everyone.'

Agni's immediate goal is to lead Mizoram to the final of the Plate Group. This achievement would secure automatic entry into the Elite Group the following year.

'I'm focused on the present, and my aim is to take Mizoram to the Elite division. Once we're there, I won't have to worry about the quality of bowling, and I'll be able to showcase my skills at the highest level.'