Ajit Agarkar dropped from Team Mumbai

[Sushubh]

I had no idea he was still actively playing!

Ajit Agarkar, Mumbai's leading fast bowler, flew back from Cuttack on the first day of Mumbai's match against Orissa because he was disappointed at being dropped from the final XI. Agarkar was part of the 15-man squad and had played in the last game against Karnataka, but following the team meeting on Monday, he was told by the trio of captain Wasim Jaffer, coach Sulakshan Kulkarni and selector Ravi Thakkar that they had decided to pick Aavishkar Salvi ahead of him.

"They did not tell me before going I am not going to be the part of the eleven. I do not expect to not play Ranji Trophy for Mumbai," Agarkar told ESPNcricinfo. Agarkar had missed Mumbai's first two games of the season with a thigh injury and went wicketless in the third-round Elite group match against Karnataka, played at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai.

"My only issue is if they had decided beforehand in Mumbai they could have easily told me and I might not have gone to Cuttack," Agarkar said. "For someone who has been around for this long, just telling him night before the match that he is not in the playing eleven is not what you accept."



India domestic news: Agarkar unhappy about being dropped by Mumbai — www.espncricinfo.com — Readability

 

[agantuk]

He is Indian cricket's most successful failure. Plenty of potential, horribly inconsistent. The other similar guy whose name comes to mind is Vinod Kambli.

 

[zigma]

Had he worked on his bowling skills and seriously implemented batting talent, he could have secured his place in the national team for long.

 

[mhsabir]

why is it so surprising... he is still under 35, which is normally the age when pacemen stop playing... and this is only domestic cricket...

 

[mhsabir]

And the saga continues

India domestic news: Ajit Agarkar pulls out of Mumbai squad for Saurashtra match | Cricket News | Ranji Trophy Elite | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[mhsabir]

lol. From being dropped to being made captain...

Ranji Trophy 2012-13 : Ajit Agarkar to lead Mumbai in Ranji Trophy | Cricket News | Ranji Trophy | ESPN Cricinfo

 

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[Bobbyguitarist]

no idea he was still playing 😕

 

[mhsabir]

Again, he might be too old to even dream an India comeback, but why playing for Mumbai surprises you? He even played 2012 IPL.

 

[AbhishekMSharma]

I think he is also playing for DD in the CLT20.

 

[mhsabir]

Yes... I guess he will around for another year or two.

 

[amish]

I still feel sad for Agarkar, he was one of my favourites. Had so much potential but cud not deliver.

 

[Shree 420]

i remember he used to bat at 4 or 5 in under-19 and did well and people used to tell he is next kapil dev.

 

[rajadeep]

Well Agarkar held the record for Fastest to 50 international wickets till 2009 until Mendis came along... I think he is still at the 2nd spot... He also had great potential as a lower end batsmen... I still remember watching the odi in which he scored a 95... I think he had come in at the no 3 or no 4 spot... As far as I know he also had a 100 in tests... As a bowler he was actually decently successful... I think he has a tally of more than 275 wickets in ODIs... The main problem with him was injuries & lack of support from BCCI... Over the years he has sustained too many injuries which has affected his career(another example of this is Nehra)... The problem was what happened after he tried to make a comeback after recovering from those injuries... Many former cricketers have also criticized BCCI on this point... It is surprising to see the same BCCI gives Rohit Sharma these many chances, kept Agarkar out of the team every time he recovered from an injury... He almost always had to comeback through the Ranji trophy route... Another point that was an issue with Agarkar was that he was a Strike bowler... If everything went right he would be very deadly... But if didnt work than he would get wacked around all over the park... Mind you he actually had a very respectable Bowling average... This is the disadvantage of a Strike bowler... The problem though was as soon as it didnt go as planned & he got wacked around, the talk about dropping him would start... This policy in turn started showing in his performance... Anyway I remember watching him in his prime & he was a sight to see... He had that kind of feel about him, the kind u see in many great players like Sachin/Sehwag/etc etc... The kind of substance that tells u that a player is gonna be great someday... Unfortunately Agarkar could not reach that greatness...