Image Credit- PTI
As Vidarbha was nine
down in their pursuit of 538 in the Ranji Trophy final at the Wankhede after
Tanush Kotian outclassed Yash Thakur, Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane pitched the
ball to Dhawal Kulkarni in an attempt to give him one last chance. Mumbai’s victory
was secured when Kulkarni dutifully complied, rattling the stumps as Umesh
Yadav failed to deliver a spectacular hoick. After the squad celebrated and an
emotional Kulkarni was acknowledged during the presentation ceremony, his
teammates raised him up on their shoulders in front of the home fans. If ever a
farewell, this one was worthy of it.
Kulkarni, who wanted
to finish his career on a high, is not done with cricket, though, saying that
he now wants to give back to the sport that has given him plenty.
“I’ve not thought about it much but cricket has given me so much that I
want to give it back to the game, whether it be coaching or whatever role that
I get,” Kulkarni said in the post-match press conference. “I want to
give it back to cricket. So everything I do in the future, it will be around
cricket.”
Kulkarni, who made
his Mumbai debut in 2007, departs the squad after 208 appearances in all
formats.
Rahane’s gesture to allow Kulkarni to grab the final wicket for Vidarbha
touched him.
“It is quite
memorable because you want to end your career on a high. Tushar [Deshpande] was
bowling. Shardul [Thakur] and Ajinkya discussed that ‘we should give it to
Dhawal’. I wasn’t actually ready to bowl but then they said ‘no you bowl’.
“It was quite a memorable wicket. I took the first wicket of the game and
the last wicket, so it was quite memorable.”
Kulkarni, who played
12 ODIs and two T20Is for India, felt he could have had more chances to
represent the country, but he said he did not want to dwell on the past.
“What’s gone is gone. I look at the future [rather] than what’s happened
in the past,” Kulkarni said. “I know I should have played more
cricket for the Indian team, but what’s gone is gone. I’ve never cribbed about
it.”
“I’ve never pointed my finger at anyone. That’s how I am. That’s my
personality. I’ve always taken that as a challenge. I’ve always wanted to
improve, not looking at others but at my game or myself. Each and every day
when I stepped on the field, I wanted to do better. How can I do better – that
was the question on my mind.”