Pranav Dhanawade, the highest individual scorer in any class of cricket with 1009 runs, now has a target of a different kind — an academic one. "My next goal is to secure at least 65 per cent marks in my forthcoming SSC exams," Pranav told mid-day yesterday at Dadar Union Sporting Club in Matunga where he was felicitated for his Tuesday's feat by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).


MCA VP Dilip Vengsarkar presents a cricket kit to Pranav Dhanawade as Ajit Wadekar (second from right) and coach Mobin Shaikh looks on at Dadar Union Sporting Club in Matunga yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Former Mumbai and India captains Ajit Wadekar and Dilip Vengsarkar presented Pranav a cricket kit. "He has to score runs in each and every outing. He has to work hard, that's what we expect from him. If he is consistent, I am sure he will get picked for Mumbai very soon," said Vengsarkar, the MCA vice-president. Wadekar congratulated Pranav for his innings of 1009 for KC Gandhi School against Arya Gurukul in the HT Bhandari Trophy match at Kalyan, but warned: "To score a thousand runs is a great achievement but, I must tell him that the path ahead will be much tougher.