Ranji Trophy 2025: Meet Ankit Chatterjee, Bengal’s youngest player at 15, surpassing Ganguly

When 15-year-old Ankit Chatterjee stepped onto the field for Bengal in theRanji Trophy, he made history as the youngest cricketer from the state to debut in the tournament.

At 15 years and 361 days, Ankit broke India’s former captain Sourav Ganguly’s record, who had debuted at 17 during Bengal’s title-winning 1989-90 final.

The Class X student from Bangaon High School started his first-class career in style, hitting a beautiful cover drive off Haryana’s seasoned pacer Anshul Kamboj. For Ankit, this was the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice.

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Every morning, Ankit would wake up at 3:30 a.m. and take a two-hour train journey from Bongaon to Kolkata, followed by another half-hour to the Maidan for practice. His cousins accompanied him daily, and their routine often stretched late into the night.

Ankit’s debut came sooner than expected when Bengal’s experienced opener, Abhimanyu Easwaran, was ruled out with an injury. Instead of being overwhelmed, the young left-hander embraced the moment calmly. “I wasn’t nervous. I slept well and played the ball on merit,” he said after ending the day unbeaten on five runs. Also Read: Boost for Australia as Test specialist cleared of injury for Sri Lanka Tests

Ankit’s cricketing journey took off as he excelled in age-group tournaments. He was Bengal’s leading run-scorer in the Vijay Merchant Trophy (U-16) and smashed a stunning century off 75 balls in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, hitting nine sixes. This season, he topped Bengal’s run charts in the tournament and impressed in the Cooch Behar Trophy with a century against Mumbai.

His father, Anup Chatterjee, recalled Ankit’s early days when he played cricket in their backyard. Recognising his passion, Anup encouraged him by buying his first cricket bat. Soon, Ankit began formal training under coach Dolon Goldar at Sonali Cricket Coaching Centre, where his dedication and quiet demeanor stood out.

Saurasish Lahiri, Bengal’s U-19 coach, called Ankit a “fearless team player” and praised his signature cover drive. “He has flair and elegance, much like other left-handers. He’ll fail at times, but with confidence and backing, he can serve Bengal for years,” Lahiri said.

Ankit, who admires Virat Kohli’s work ethic, knows this is just the beginning. “I waited for this day, but it’s only the start,” he signed off. (With inputs from agencies)