Name: Atharva Taide
Atharva Taide is a left-hand batsman, top-order batsman in Indian Cricket. Taide played youth cricket for India U19 team and came to limelight after he scored 2 centuries in 2 youth test matches against Sri Lanka U19 midway through 2018. After his performance in youth cricket, he was selected for Vidharba in List-A cricket in the 2018-19 Vijay Hazare Trophy. He debuted on 20th September 2018 against Baroda. He opened the innings and scored 57 runs off 65 balls batting first. Towards the end of the year, he was named as a part of India’s squad for the 2018 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup. He made his First-Class debut against Gujarat on 22nd December 2018. He made his T20 debut for Vidharbha in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on 21st February 2019.
One of Atharva Taide's most remarkable achievements came in the final of the Cooch Behar Trophy, where he opened the batting for Vidarbha and scored a magnificent 320 runs, equaling Yuvraj Singh's record and leading his team to victory. He also played a crucial role in Vidarbha's triumph in the 2019 Irani Trophy final, scoring a match-winning 72 runs.
Taide's highest score in List A cricket is an unbeaten 164 against Andhra Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on 9 December 2021. He was also a member of the winning team of the Under-23 season 2019–20 and served as Vidarbha's captain for the Under-19 Coochbehar Trophy.
The 22-year-old left-handed batter scored 499 runs at an average of 45.36 in seven Ranji Trophy games last season, including a career-high 3 half centuries and 1 century. He scored his first First-Class century in January of this year in Mohali, India, with an undefeated 112 against Punjab. Even though Vidarbha's chances of making it to the knockout stages were destroyed the game ended in a tie.
In IPL 2022, he was bought by the Punjab Kings for the base price of 20 Lacs. In the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League, he did not get an opportunity to make his debut for the team. Taide was retained by the Punjab Kings and made his IPL debut for Punjab Kings against the Lucknow Super Giants on 15th April 2023. He was brought in as a replacement for Shikhar Dhawan. He scored a total of 186 runs including 2 half centuries in 7 matches averaging 26+ with a strike rate of 144.19. His last appearance in the IPL was against the Rajasthan Royals on 13th April 2024.
In First Class cricket, Taide has played 23 matches and has scored 1471 runs averaging 42+. He has scored 8 half centuries and 3 centuries with the highest score being 138.
In List A, he has played 32 matches and has scored 1061 runs averaging 36+. His highest score in this format is 164* and has scored 6 half centuries and 2 centuries.
In T20s, he has played 45 matches and has scored 1477 runs with the highest score being 97. His average is 29+ and has scored 5 half-centuries.