Who is Rajvardhan Hangargekar? Know about the CSK pace sensation
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lost the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) opener versus Gujarat Titans, however, the debutant pacer, Rajvardhan Hangargekar left a significant mark. He claimed figures worth 3/36 in four overs. Notably, the 20-year-old was the pick of the CSK bowlers in the contest. His efforts, however, went in vain as GT recorded a five-wicket win. Here are Hangargekar's stats.
An impressive spell from Hangargekar
CSK skipper MS Dhoni introduced Hangargekar in the fourth over. The move paid off as the youngster drew the first blood by dismissing Wriddhiman Saha (25) in his first over. He later took the important wickets of Sai Sudharsan (22) and Vijay Shankar (27). Though the youngster was taken to the cleaners at times, his pace and wicket-taking ability impressed one and all.
Who is Rajvardhan Hangargekar?
Hangargekar was born on November 10, 2002, in Tuljapur, Maharashtra. Besides being a talented bowler, the youngster is also a handy batter down the order. He played an instrumental role in guiding India to the ICC Under-19 World Cup last year. The youngster returned with five wickets in six games at 28.80 alongside scoring 52 runs. His batting strike rate read 185.71.
The 2022 IPL auction
His brilliance in the U-19 WC made him a player to watch out for in the IPL 2022 mega auction. While his base price was Rs. 30 lakh, CSK secured his services for Rs. 1.5 crore. Mumbai Indians (MI) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) also went after him. Surprisingly, Hangargekar didn't get to play a single game in his debut season.
His stats across formats
While Hangargekar made his List-A and T20 debut in the 2020-21 domestic season, his maiden First-Class appearance came in December 2022. In T20 cricket, he currently owns eight wickets in nine games at 29.50. The youngster has scalped 25 and 13 wickets in 13 List-A and four First-Class matches, respectively. Hangargekar, however, hasn't been able to make his bat talk much in domestic cricket.
Do you know?
Making his maiden appearance at the age of 20 years and 141 days, Hangargekar became CSK's fourth-youngest debutant in IPL. Abhinav Mukund (18 years, 139 days), Ankit Rajpoot (19 years, 123 days), and Matheesha Pathirana (19 years, 148 days) are above him in this regard.
How did the game pan out?
Batting first, CSK posted 178/7 with Ruturaj Gaikwad (92) excelling with the bat. Moeen Ali (23), Shivam Dube (19), and Dhoni (14*) also made handy contributions. Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan, and Alzarri Joseph claimed two wickets apiece. In response, Shubman Gill (63) was solid for Gujarat. Rashid's unbeaten three-ball 10 played an instrumental role in helping GT cross the line in the last over.
