He broke a world record on first-class debut at 21, now taking MPL route to India dream

Litha.AchariIndore: Eight years ago, a 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Madhya Pradesh Dewas took Indian domestic cricket by storm, rewriting the record books.On his Ranji Trophy debut for Madhya Pradesh against Hyderabad in Indore in December 2018, Ajay Rohera scored an unbeaten 267, surpassing the long-standing world record held by the current India women’s team head coach and domestic stalwart, Amol Muzumdar, for the highest individual score on first-class debut.The marathon innings announced the arrival of a prodigious talent, setting him on the road to a glittering career, as many would have hoped. But cricket, as Rohera would soon discover, rarely follows a straight path.Today, at 29, Rohera is still aspiring for an India cap and has returned to familiar surroundings, stands and an audience, hoping for a fresh start.Turning out for Jabalpur Royal Lions in Madhya Pradesh League 2026, the Dewas-born batter has piled up more than 440-plus runs in just eight matches to top the tournament’s run charts, chasing a larger goal to use the state’s premier T20 league as a platform to announce his return to Madhya Pradesh cricket.“My debut (Ranji) innings has stayed with me. It was like a dream come true. Everything was going fine,” Rohera recalled, adding, “But what followed my first domestic season wasn’t good for me. However, I took the setbacks in stride and started working on my game, making the necessary changes and adjustments required to play at the highest level. I have learnt that highs and lows are a part and parcel of a sportsperson’s life.

The lows gave me strength to work harder and bounce back. I am grateful for those phases as well.”Long before his record-breaking Ranji innings, Rohera had already begun attracting attention in age-group cricket. In the CK Nayudu Trophy, India’s premier Under-23 competition, he had notched up 386 runs in four matches, including a century against Assam, before earning his maiden call-up to the senior Madhya Pradesh side.Rohera, who took his first steps in cricket in Dewas, about 40 km from Indore, moved to the city in 2017 in pursuit of better coaching and greater opportunities.His sporting journey, however, began much earlier.“I played badminton, softball, table tennis and other sports. I even played school nationals in many games. I never liked sitting at home. Sport was always a part of my life,” he said, “At 16, I started taking cricket seriously and joined a club in Dewas.

My father always told me to work hard at what I enjoyed.”Despite his early success, Rohera eventually found himself out of the Madhya Pradesh Ranji setup. Determined to keep his career moving forward, he shifted to Puducherry in 2023, where he spent the last few domestic seasons.“Since being dropped from the Madhya Pradesh Ranji team, I had a strong urge to come back and prove myself. This is the place I belong. MPL presented a huge opportunity to make a statement back home and I wanted to make the most of it,” the 29-year-old said.For Rohera, however, the comeback story remains unfinished. “The real comeback will be when I wear the India jersey or play in the IPL,” he said, adding that he believes several MPL players, including himself, can earn IPL opportunities in the near future.As far as chasing his eventual goal goes, he need not look too far for inspiration. State made Rajat Patidar, won his India cap aged 31, and went on to become only the third captain in IPL history, to win two consecutive titles earlier this year.For now, the boy from Dewas, who once shattered a world record, forcing the cricket world to sit up and take notice, has rediscovered his form, his confidence and perhaps the path back to bigger stages.