Gujarat Titans’ New Recruit Anuj Rawat Misses Ranji, Attends IPL Camp
Former cricketers often emphasize that domestic cricket forms the foundation for a player’s career. However, India’s young wicketkeeper Anuj Rawat seems to prioritize the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the Ranji Trophy. Rawat skipped Ranji practice and instead joined the Gujarat Titans’ IPL training camp.
The 25-year-old Anuj Rawat is the designated wicketkeeper for the Delhi Ranji team. Recently, he was acquired by Gujarat Titans in the IPL mega auction. With the IPL matches set to begin in late March, several franchises have already started their preparation camps. Gujarat Titans also commenced their training camp in Surat, prompting Rawat to skip playing for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy and join the Titans’ camp.
A similar incident occurred in the past with India wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan, who left the South Africa tour midway under the pretext of rest, traveled to Dubai, and returned to India without participating in domestic cricket. Instead, he attended an IPL training camp. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sidelined him for a brief period following this incident. Now, Anuj Rawat appears to be following the same path.
Reacting to this, Ashok Sharma, Secretary of the Delhi Cricket Association, stated that he was unaware of Anuj Rawat’s absence from Ranji Trophy practice. He clarified that players require prior approval if they wish to skip Ranji matches for IPL commitments. Sharma added that he did not know who granted Rawat such permission.
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