Photo via Hindustan Times

Debuted at 13, fastest to 1,000 runs; he promised to match Sachin Tendulkar but death took him away at just 18

Long before modern teenage prodigies captured the public imagination, Punjab batsman Dhruva Mahender Pandove stood alongside a young Sachin Tendulkar as one of Indian cricket's brightest rising stars. Pandove broke records from the outset, stepping into first-class cricket at thirteen, scoring his maiden hundred at fourteen, and becoming the youngest batter to amass 1,000 Ranji Trophy runs at seventeen.

Determined to force his way into the national Test setup beside Tendulkar, the eighteen-year-old, who also appeared in six List A games, anticipated that a commanding performance against an upcoming touring squad would guarantee his international selection.