As he trudged off the field at Delhi Public School in Hougang last Sunday with his head hung low, Karthik Bisht swung his bat up and nestled it under his arm.
The 11-year-old took his helmet off and wiped his brow dejectedly. He had just been caught out from the final of this year’s Under-13 Junior League cricket tournament, scoring just 13 runs.
His NPS International School team ended up losing the match – 25 overs-a-side – by six wickets to CricKingdom Thunders. But if it was any consolation, Karthik would later be crowned Player of the Tournament. This was perhaps a foregone conclusion given his exploits earlier in the season, especially during a league-phase match on July 27, 2024, when he scored a double century for his team against SCC Academy. More recently, in the semi-finals, he scored 90 not out.
An Indian national who moved to Singapore when he was three months old, Karthik shares a dream with hundreds of millions – to some day play for the Indian cricket team.
Though he’s not old enough to have ever watched the legendary Sachin Tendulkar play in real time, Karthik cites him as his idol, and has been trying to emulate Sachin’s style and technique whenever he plays.
“My dad wanted to be a national-level cricketer; it was his dream, and I would like to fulfil it,” said Karthik, a right-handed batsman who picked up the sport at the age of five.
“Cricket has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I watch highlight reels of Sachin daily, and every time India plays, I’ll stay up and watch them.
“I have to work hard. I practice everyday; after school I go straight to training to keep up my form.”
Karthik’s 202 not out against SCC Academy last July is testament not just to his passion but also his prowess. In that match, the one-down batsman faced 81 balls and hammered nine sixes and 30 fours.
When asked about achieving the double century, however, Karthik simply emphasised “team”.
“My only duty is to score a good number of runs for my team, so I try my best to achieve that on the pitch,” he said.
His school coach Kshitij Shinde, a former national player, said Karthik’s greatest strength is his discipline.
“He is very committed to being the best he can be, no matter how tired he is,” Kshitij said. “I have no doubt Karthik has what it takes to climb the rungs of the professional cricket ladder.”
For his part, Karthik’s father, Prahlad Singh, said he’s willing to go the whole nine yards in helping his son achieve his dream.
“His cricketing career has only just begun”, said the 41-year-old IT professional. “I know the chances of failure in this sport are high because of the competitiveness. I spend most of my weekends as well as weekdays after work with him during his training.
“I can provide all the support he needs but it comes down to how passionate he is about the sport.”
Karthik was recently selected for the national Under-14 squad after trials last month.
Impressive as he has been in the junior circuit here, prodigies like Karthik, who trains under the SportyGo cricket academy and has a personal coach, are not uncommon in India, where millions of young boys – just as talented – hope for the opportunity to join major academies and to someday play the sport professionally.
Nevertheless, when told of Karthik’s 202-run achievement, former Singapore captain Chetan Suryavanshi described it as “phenomenal”.
“One needs a lot of maturity to stay on a pitch for that long, and doing that at just 11 years old is really special,” said the 39-year-old.
Chetan, who once scored 197 in a Premier League 50-overs match at the Singapore Cricket Club, added: “You need a calm and collective disposition to achieve it. Stamina is a gift at a young age, but mental acuity is a skill.
“It is easy for one to become complacent after scoring just one century. To stay hungry for more is a sign of great maturity.”
Reema Dudekula
