When Mohammad Azharuddeen was born in Kasargod in 1994, his parents had initially thought of a different name for him. However, it was his brother Kamaruddin who insisted that the boy be named Azharuddeen, after the legendary cricketer who helmed the Indian cricket team in those years.

Twenty-six years later, young Azharuddeen too has left his mark on the pitch, earning him an avalanche of praises on social media. On Wednesday, the 26-year-old cricketer, who plays for Kerala, led his team to a resounding victory after hitting a century in just 37 balls against Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy.

Azharuddeen’s feat has been hailed as ‘extraordinary cricket’ by sports enthusiasts and celebrities alike, who took to Twitter to shower praises on the 26-year-old.