Ministers’ helipad grounds wonder boy’s cricket practice

Mumbai: Fifteen-year-old Pranav Dhanavade, who set a record by scoring 1,009 runs in 327 balls, was on Saturday stopped from playing cricket on a ground in Kalyan as it was being used for a helipad. When the world record holder asked why he could not play on the ground, he was handed over to the police for “security reasons,” a senior police official said.

According to officials, Pranav and his father Prashant Dhanavade were present at Subhash Ground, with Pranav playing. The ground has been cordoned off and a temporary helipad built since Union ministers are arriving in Kalyan. Constables stationed at the ground asked him to stop.

“At this, the father and son started arguing and demanded proof as to why he wasn’t being allowed to play,” said a police officer. They were then taken to Bazar Peth police station where they were shown letters about the area being cordoned off.

When contacted, D. Suryawanshi, senior police inspector from Bazar Peth police station, said, “Pranav and his father were issued a warning and later let off. We have not registered any case against them.”

The player had secured a monthly scholarship for five years from the Mumbai Cricket Association after becoming the first batsman in the world to notch-up a four-figure innings. Prashant Dhanavde said, “All children were practising and stretching when the police came and asked us to leave immediately. We requested them to give us 15 minutes to wrap up, but they didn’t listen and took us to the police station. Later on, all political workers in the area and commissioner of Thane police came to the police station and the issue was resolved.”

Union minister Prakash Javadekar was also reportedly unhappy with the incident and said it was wrong to build a helipad on a playground. He also said that he would be going to Kalyan by road and not take a helicopter ride.