Rakesh Dhruve: A Prolific First Class Cricketer & a Passionate Coach | Coach Corner
When you have spent almost two decades playing state level & first class cricket with close to 350 wickets in first class career, you got to be a very special cricketer. Yes we are talking about Rakesh Dhruve who played from Saurashtra in Domestic Cricket. Rakesh was a slow left arm orthodox bowler who represented India A Cricket Team in 2013.
Rakesh Dhruve made his first-class debut for Saurashtra in the 1999/00 season & went on to play for almost 12 years for Saurashtra.. In 2012, Rakesh switched to Gujarat and made impressive impact with his bowling. In a Ranji Trophy group match against Rajasthan in December 2012, Rakesh Dhruve came up with a stunning spell of 6/65 in the first innings and 8/31 in the second innings.
Rakesh finished the season with 36 wickets from 8 matches at an average of 25.55. His impressive bowling was rewarded by the national selectors who drafted him into the India A squad for the three-day match against the touring Australian team in February 2013. Rakesh Dhruve returned with bowling figures of 5/31 in the first innings and 1/37 in the second innings, taking wickets of regular Test batsmen such as Shane Watson and Ed Cowan.
Rakesh began playing at the age of 11 under coaches Anil Thakrar, Ishaq Querieshi and Waman Jani in Jamnagar District Cricket Academy. His spin bowling was immediately noticed in the cricketing circles of Gujarat as he went on to represent Saurashtra in U16 and U23 age groups before making it into the senior team at the age of just 18 years. Rakesh has had a decorated career so far with many accomplishments to his name right from taking a fifer vs Australia to a 14wkt haul vs Rajasthan to an 8wkt haul vs Maharashtra in U23 level being some of his memorable performances. Rakesh has many performances right from his age group days and it would be difficult to list out only a few but speaking with Cricketgraph he shared-
I have taken fifers vs powerful teams like Bombay and Baroda in my age group days, since then I have worked hard and ensured to give my best for Saurashtra. In a career spanning almost 16 years as a first class cricketer, I have played for 3 states namely Gujarat, Vidarbha and Saurashtra and it was a special experience with every team. I missed out on India U19 team in 2000 but I am fortunate to wear the India Jersey representing the India “A” side vs the likes of Australia.
Rakesh, now 40 is enjoying his 2nd innings too as a cricket coach and he shares, he does coaching because giving it back to the game is his passion and he likes to mentor young cricketers. Even though it’s been almost a decade since he started coaching, it was in 2018, he joined Saurashtra Cricket Association as a Head Coach of U16 and U19 Teams. Rakesh is also Certified Cricket Coach while he has also appeared for BCCI Level 2 Certification. Rakesh who is currently employed by SBI is a banker by profession and occasionally plays for SBI Corporate team in the Inter Circle. Here’s wishing a great 2nd innings to Rakesh Dhruve with many more accomplishments on and off the field.
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