Bengal batsman Pankaj Shaw smashes 413 not out; hits 44 fours, 23 sixes en route

New Delhi: India and it's strength in depth when it comes to cricketing talent has reached all-new heights in 2016 with the likes of Jayant Yadav, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, etc. producing promising performances and putting BCCI in massive selection headaches ahead of every new series.

The latest sensation to add to an already solid looking talent pool of Indian cricket is Bengal middle-order batsman Pankaj Shaw.

On Christmas, Pankaj amassed a record 413 not out in the three-day Cricket Association of Bengal First Division tournament in Kolkata on Sunday.

Representing Barisha Sporting, the 28-year-old batsman struck 44 fours and 23 sixes en route to the first 400-plus score in a three-day CAB league.

Barisha Sporting were overnight 192/2 with the No. 4 batsman on 44 as he carried forward his sublime knock on Sunday.

Shaw shared 203 for the sixth wicket with Ajmer Singh (47) and 191 for the eighth wicket with Shreyan Chakraborty (22) as Barisha Sporting piled on a mammoth 708/8 declared in 115 overs at the Oxford Mission Douglas ground at Behala.

Put in, Dakshin Kalikata Sansad were bundled out for 369 in 114.1 overs to concede a first innings lead to Barisha who returned with four points.

DKS were 96/2 after 20 overs at close as they settled for two points.

Shaw, who made his Ranji debut against Rajasthan last season, has played 12 First-Class, four List A and 12 Twenty20 matches for Bengal.

India's cricketing future does look bright and with batsmen like Pankaj, selectors are bound to have more dilemma when it comes to picking squads ahead of a tournament.

(With PTI inputs)