The 2025-26 season of the prestigious U-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy delivered thrilling cricket, but for the Jagdale Sports Foundation (JSF) and Trinity family, it brought a profound sense of pride. We are absolutely thrilled to celebrate two of our own Pratik Kadlak and Vishwajeet Jagtap who were integral parts of the Maharashtra squad that fought its way to the grand finale, finishing as the tournament’s Runners-Up against a formidable Mumbai side.
While reaching a national final is a monumental achievement for any age-group cricketer, the individual journeys of these two young athletes this season read like a masterclass in resilience, character, and consistency.
Pratik Kadlak Sports have a unique way of testing an athlete’s mental fortitude, and Pratik was handed the toughest test right at the starting line. Suffering an injury in the very first game of the season could have easily derailed his entire year. Instead, he put his head down, trusted the recovery process, and maintained his tactical sharpness from the sidelines.
His return to the pitch wasn’t just a quiet reappearance; it was a statement. Walking straight into the high-pressure cooker of the quarter-finals, Pratik delivered a breathtaking, match-winning knock of 86 runs. It takes a rare kind of mental toughness to shake off the rust of rehab and immediately dominate a knockout game, proving exactly why he is such a resilient and highly-rated talent.
Vishwajeet Jagtap If Pratik provided the dramatic spark, Vishwajeet was the relentless engine that kept the team moving forward all season long. In a grueling tournament that demands peak physical and mental endurance, Vishwajeet stepped up every single time his captain called upon him.
He was a constant threat with the ball, demonstrating great temperament by taking crucial wickets and breaking partnerships when Maharashtra needed them most. But his impact didn’t stop at the bowling crease. Vishwajeet showcased immense maturity with the bat, consistently chipping in with vital, gritty runs down the order in every single innings he played. He proved to be the ultimate team man always ready to do the heavy lifting when the stakes were highest.
A Legacy of Excellence Squaring off against Mumbai in a national final is the exact kind of high-stakes experience that shapes a young cricketer’s career. Though the team finished as runners-up, the grit, fight, and high-performance mindset displayed by Pratik and Vishwajeet perfectly embody the culture we strive to build here at Jagdale Sports Foundation.
We could not be prouder of how they represented their state and their academy. The entire JSF family congratulates them on a phenomenal campaign!