With an extraordinary performance by key USA pacer Saurabh Netravalkar in Major League Cricket 2024, eyes are now set on IPL 2025. Born in India, Netravalkar played the U19 World Cup with cricket legends Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh before he shifted to the USA for studies.
Where professional life was being spent as a software engineer, cricket was giving him a special kick. Much attention has been received for the impressive performances of Netravalkar on the field. That was during the T20 World Cup 2024 when his impact really came to the fore with match-winning performances in the USA’s campaign, especially against Pakistan in the group stages.
Netravalkar picked up six wickets in as many matches with his performance against Pakistan being the most memorable with two wickets for 18 runs and the match-winning super over.
Representing Washington Freedom in MLC 2024, Netravalkar emerged as the top wicket-taker in the tournament, ending with 15 wickets in seven matches, and his team emerged as winners. His performances impressed Royal Challengers Bengaluru head coach Andy Flower, who called Netravalkar a skilful and valuable player, citing his effectiveness in death overs. Eyeing IPL 2024 now, he said,
“I mean, that is not in my hands. If the selection happens, it happens. I will try and let’s see.”
While RCB coach Flower was quoted as saying,
“His stocks have flown off the roof. Very skillful and a great man around the team. People will be looking and thinking, that’s a left-arm swing bowler who can also bowl for us at the death,”
The story of Netravalkar, from the U19 World Cup to making it big in the USA, is that of hard work and fight. As a left-arm swing bowler who has done reasonably well in the death overs, he added to his value manifold. His aspirations notwithstanding, Netravalkar is pretty grounded in the realization that he cannot dictate his selection into the IPL.
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