Despite all odds, unlucky Rasikh Salam makes his presence felt at IPL

Despite all odds, unlucky Rasikh Salam makes his presence felt at IPL (image: Sports India JK FB page

VoM News Desk | April 25, 2024 | 10:24 PM IST | Cricket, Jammu Kashmir, Sports | Follow on Google News

Despite all odds, unlucky Rasikh Salam makes his presence felt at IPL

Despite all odds, unlucky Rasikh Salam makes his presence felt at IPL

• Journey of talented cricketer from Kulgam streets’ to Sawai Mansingh Stadium

RAJESH DHAR

JAMMU, Apr 25: Hailing from a small village in district Kulgam of Jammu and Kashmir, the talented young fast bowler, Rasikh Salam Dar, despite all odds, is making his presence felt and climbing the ladders of success at the IPL scene.

His stellar performance against strong Gujarat Titans in the crunch situation yesterday, has won the hearts of cricket lovers and this promising bowler, who swings the ball both ways, generates respectable pace, purchases good bounce and has artistry in making variations, has shown the cricketing world that he possessed almost all that is required to blossom even at the highest level.

Making his List A, First Class and T20 debut for Jammu and Kashmir at a very young age of 17 years in 2018, Rasikh Salam Dar has also the distinction of becoming the third cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to be picked in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after Parvez Rasool and Manzoor Dar, before the likes of Abdul Samad, Umran Malik, Yudhvir Singh Charak and Vivrant Sharma.

However, he has to go through the horny path, rather face hurdles throughout his cricketing journey from the streets of Kulgam to his home grounds of Sawai Mansingh Stadium Jaipur, Eden Gardens Kolkata and Wankhede Stadium Mumbai. See how?

In December 2018, Rasikh was bought by the Mumbai Indians in the players’ auction for the 2019 Indian Premier League, thus becoming the third cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to be picked in the Indian Premier League and at 17 years and 353 days, the youngest player to make their debut for the Mumbai Indians. However, after impressing the cricketing world including the greats like Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma and likes with his swing, pace and variations, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in June 2019, banned him for two years following a discrepancy with his birth certificate.

Despite the ban, this die-hard cricketer continued to work hard under the mentorship of former Test Cricketer Irfan Pathan and after completing the two-year ban, got the nod of another IPL Franchise–Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the IPL Season-2022. However, this immensely talented but unlucky cricketer again received a setback as he suffered an injury to miss the entire IPL season.

Again impressing one and all, with his fantastic bowling display at the domestic arena in Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy in the 2023 season, with 6/31 as his best bowling figures, Rasikh caught the selectors’ eye to be picked in the Delhi Capitals squad for the IPL 2024 season.

Now, after producing a stellar performance (3/44 in 4 overs) against strong Gujarat Titans yesterday, removing the dangerous looking Sai Sudhershan, Shahrukh Khan and Sai Kishore, the Delhi Capitals pacer ‘Rasikh’ was slapped with a fine for going over the top with his celebrations during the match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. Dekhi Capitals registered a win by 4 runs in a last-over thriller as they continue to keep their playoffs hopes alive, jubilant and enthusiastic, Rasikh committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct. This involves “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from another player.”

One got a feeling that he did all this out of excitement and jubilation without knowing its repercussions and fallouts as the unlucky cricketer was feeling ecstatic to perform at this level after passing through the setbacks time and again.

It is pertinent to mention here that Rasikh has played 2 First Class matches and has taken 7 wickets, besides taking 12 wickets in 7 List A matches and 18 wickets in equal number of matches in T20 format. Irfan Pathan has played an instrumental role in his early career, while Mithun Manhas and JKCA Selectors and Coaches have shaped his career after his comeback in 2022.

VoM News Desk

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