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Ranji Trophy 2024 – Mumbai to Guwahati via Colombo: Sumit Ghadigaonkar's interesting cricket journey

Ranji Trophy 2024 - Mumbai to Guwahati via Colombo: Sumit Ghadigaonkar's interesting cricket journey

Assam wicket-keeper batsman Sumit Ghadigaonkar scored his second first-class century in the third round Ranji Trophy match against Delhi, but his first first-class century on Indian soil. Ghadigavankar has previously scored a first-class century in Colombo for the Sri Lankan domestic team Chillao Club.

Ghadigaonkar, who was a part of Mumbai's grounds and club cricket since childhood till the age of 28, did not get a part in Mumbai's Ranji team after years of struggle, so he went to Sri Lanka to play the 2019-20 season. There he scored 330 runs in five first-class matches with the help of a century and three half-centuries, while in three List A matches he scored 278 runs with the help of a century and two half-centuries. However, due to Covid, he had to return to India mid-season and his Sri Lankan innings ended there.

Talking about the opportunity to play in Sri Lanka, 32-year-old Ghadigaonkar says, “This is after 2015. I was playing club cricket in Mumbai, but due to the tough competition in Mumbai cricket, I was not selected in the Ranji Trophy team. Meanwhile, a friend of mine offered me a first-class match in Sri Lanka, which I could not refuse. I played five first-class and three Ranji matches there as a professional. Scored a century. Overall it was a good experience for me.”

The grittiness of Mumbai cricket comes from years of hard work and this has helped me a lot in playing cricket around the world. There is very quality cricket all over Mumbai. I played for MIG club for 13 years and currently I play for DY Patil. The club cricket or Time Shield matches here are also of Ranji Trophy level, playing them regularly has helped me a lot personally.

Sumit Ghadigaonkar

After returning to India, the same question again arose before Ghadigaonkar that if he does not get a chance to play for Mumbai, then where will he play? However, he soon got the answer when this Reserve Bank of India (RBI) employee was transferred to Guwahati. After this Ghadigavankar became of Assam only.

Ghadigaonkar explains, “I was not playing first-class matches in Mumbai, but the level of club cricket is also very high there. I was playing regular matches for RBI there, where first-class and international cricketers also participate. I was playing well, so it never occurred to me to leave cricket. Meanwhile, I got transferred to Guwahati and have been playing cricket there for the last three years.”

However, this journey was not that easy for Ghadigaonkar. He reached Assam in 2021 itself, but it took him three more years to make his first-class debut in India. He got to play his first first-class match for India against Chhattisgarh earlier this year, scoring 26 and 16 runs respectively, while adding four catches as well as two stumpings with his wicket-keeping.

Since then, Gadigaonkar has played eight Ranji matches for Assam, scoring 517 runs at an average of 43 with one century and two half-centuries. Apart from this, he has also taken 11 catches and five stumpings during this period. Ghadigaonkar's second half-century came in the match against Delhi itself, when after scoring a century in the first innings, he scored an unbeaten 76 runs in the second innings. Assam team was all out, otherwise we could have seen centuries in both the innings from Ghadigaonkar.

He says, “This century was very satisfying for me because it was my first first-class century on Indian soil. This century also proves that if you keep working hard, one day your time will definitely come. I I also believe in the same thing. The good thing is that this century came when the team needed it the most and I am very happy.”

Ghadigaonkar has learned the ropes of cricket under former India batsman Jatin Paranjape, while he practices wicketkeeping under Vinayak Samant, who has played 100 first-class matches for Mumbai. He has played cricket with cricketers like Suryakumar Yadav, Shardul Thakur and Siddhesh Lad and he believes that even if he travels the world, he still has the 'dream' of Mumbai cricket.

Ghadigaonkar says, “The bitterness of Mumbai cricket comes from years of hard work and this has helped me a lot in playing cricket around the world. There is a lot of quality cricket in Mumbai itself. I played for MIG club for 13 years and currently I play for DY Patil. The club cricket or Time Shield matches here are also of Ranji Trophy level, playing regularly has helped me a lot personally.”

Gadigaonkar has also played a lot of university cricket and represented India on behalf of Rizvi College in the Campus Cricket World Finals held in England in 2014. () Players like Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and Mir Hamza also participated in this tournament.

32 year old Ghadigaonkar is very happy and satisfied with this progress in the last phase of his career. He just wants to play cricket, wherever he gets a chance.

Daya Sagar is the sub editor of ESPNcricinfo . dayasagar95

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