Hungry Agni Chopra dreams of playing for India, reveals IPL ambitions

Agni Chopra, 26, has had a dream start to his first-class career, averaging 99.06 in 9 matches. The son of Bollywood producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and film critic Anupama Chopra is making waves with his ability to score big hundreds for Mizoram in the Ranji Trophy Plate level tournament.

In Short

• Agni Chopra, 26, averages 99.06 in 9 Ranji Trophy matches
• Agni, son of Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Anupama, has hit 2 double hundreds this season
• The left-handed batter said he is hoping to get an IPL contract

Agni Chopra has turned heads since making his first-class debut for Mizoram earlier this year. In just nine first-class matches, he has scored eight centuries, including two double hundreds, and boasts a remarkable average of 99.06. During his first four Ranji Trophy matches last season, Agni scored five centuries, and he has carried that momentum forward, adding three more hundreds this season, including two double centuries for Mizoram.

Agni, the son of renowned Bollywood producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and film critic Anupama Chopra, has spoken about his dreams of playing for India and in the Indian Premier League. The 26-year-old is determined to keep his run-scoring form going in the Plate Group of the Ranji Trophy, the second tier, but his ambition is to compete at the Elite Level.

While he has high aspirations, his immediate focus remains on preparing thoroughly for the upcoming game and giving his all -- a mantra that has served him well so far.

“I don’t think too far into the future. Of course, in terms of the bigger picture, I would love to be picked for the Duleep Trophy, India A, or the IPL, and hopefully, one day, represent India,” Agni Chopra told PTI.

“For me, what works best is focusing only on the next game. I don't even think about the game after that; I just focus on what's next because to play for India, I have to perform well in each upcoming game," he said.

Agni's rise to prominence began when he moved from Mumbai to Mizoram, following advice from his coach, Khuspreet Singh, who encouraged him to seek more playing time outside Mumbai, given the intense competition there. This move has since become a turning point in his career.

Agni is candid about his ambition to play at the Elite Level, and he hopes to achieve it with Mizoram. His team narrowly missed the opportunity last year, falling in the Plate Group semi-finals. This season, Agni says, the team’s collective goal is to earn promotion.

“Our Mizoram team's goal is to qualify for the Elite division. The objective is for us to finish on top and qualify... then I'll be able to play in the Elite division against top-level bowlers,” he shared.

“Last year, that was also our aim, but unfortunately, we fell short. We lost in the semi-finals; we were one game away. If we had won, we would have qualified, and I'd be playing there this year. That’s both my personal and team-wise goal.”

'EVERYONE WANTS TO PLAY IN THE IPL': AGNI

With the Indian Premier League auction approaching, Agni hopes to attract interest after bouncing back from last year’s auction disappointment with significant runs in the Ranji Trophy.

“Everyone wants to be part of that, to play in the IPL. A lot of the work I’ve put in is with that in mind as well, and it’s a big motivating factor,” he added.

Speaking about the attention he receives due to his celebrity parents, Agni said he has learned to separate his life on and off the field.

The young cricketer credits his coach for helping him stay focused and mentioned that he stays in touch with his friend and India team star, Shubman Gill.

“I just find it funny. I genuinely don’t take it seriously. I have a circle of people whose opinions I value and trust,” he said.

“Off the field, it’s my parents and my sister. Anything unrelated to cricket, I defer to them. They don’t give me much cricket advice. I mean, I don’t tell my dad how to make movies, and he doesn’t tell me how to play cricket,” he laughed.

“On and off the field, Khuspreet Singh, my coach, is my number one advisor. Shubman is also a close friend, and with him, we discuss both cricket and life,” he said.