RAJ BAWA FEELS THRILLED TO SHARE DRESSING ROOM WITH SHIKHAR DHAWAN 

• U-19 star picked up by Punjab Kings in the IPL-2022 Auction for 2 Crores 
• Meanwhile, Harnoor Singh failed to find a place in any of the IPL Team 

On the second day of the mega Auction in Bengaluru, Raj Bawa’s record-breaking performance in the recently concluded Under-19 World Cup final against England in Antigua attracted the eye of several IPL clubs looking for a pace-bowling all-around asset.

The Chandigarh youth began the Auction with a base price of Rs 20 lakh, but his value quickly grew as the Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Punjab Kings battled it out. The Punjab Kings had the last laugh, paying Rs 2 crore for the all-rounder. 

IPL Auction: 

Raj Angad will share the Punjab Kings dressing room with Shikhar Dhawan, who recently broke the long-standing record for the best individual score by an Indian in the U-19 World Cup by the Chandigarh teenager. Raj, a hard-hitting southpaw, and a skillful right-arm medium pacer were one of India’s best performers at the Under-19 World Cup, taking nine wickets and scoring 252 runs in six matches.

He reserved his best for the championship match against the English colts, bowling a five-for to lead India to victory. In a group encounter against Uganda, a Covid-affected India U19 team, Raj rewrote the record books by hitting an unbeaten 162 off 108 deliveries, surpassing Dhawan’s 155 against Kenya at the 2004 U19 World Cup. 

“I’m looking forward to meeting him (Shikhar Dhawan) and seeing if he’s aware of the situation. I’ve always admired him, and being in the same dressing room as him would be a fantastic experience. “After getting selected by Punjab Kings, Raj Angad expressed his joy to TOI.

Bawa’s success inspired the UT Cricket Association to name him to the Chandigarh squad for the Ranji Trophy. The Chandigarh team, Bengal, Hyderabad, and Baroda, is in the Ranji Trophy’s Elite Group B. Raj Bawa is now under mandatory quarantine with the Manan Vohra-led Cuttack team. 

Raj Bawa comes from a sporting family. His grandfather, Tarlochan Singh Bawa, was a core part of India’s 1948 Olympic gold-winning squad, and his father, Sukhwinder Singh Bawa, was Yuvraj Singh’s primary coach during his early years.

“Being a part of any IPL side is a learning curve for any youngster, and for Raj Bawa in particular, who better than a coach like Anil Kumble, fielding coach like Jonty Rhodes, and seniors like Shikhar Dhawan would a youngster expect?” “I’m glad he was chosen for the Punjab Kings team because it keeps him in familiar terrain, and as a coach and a father, I hope he achieves his full potential.

“I am not concerned about the price tag. He has advanced one step after his World Cup performance. Sukhwinder told TOI that the real test for him as a cricketer will come now,” Sukhwinder told TOI. 

Best wishes for the upcoming season to the team, “added he. 

HARNOOR’S HEARTBREAK 

Harnoor Singh Pannu, a Chandigarh batsman Raj’s World Cup partner, did not find any takers at the IPL mega auction. The left-handed hitter from Jalandhar was India’s leading run-scorer in the U19 Asia Cup in the UAE and was awarded Player of the Series.

At the U19 World Cup, he hit a century in a trial game against Australia, but his remarkable knock of 88 against Ireland cemented his reputation. During the U-19 Challenger Trophy, he had already banged three centuries.  

Harnoor started playing cricket when he was eight years old in Jalandhar and later moved to Chandigarh to practice with Harjinder Singh Pannu. His uncle is optimistic that the youngster’s efforts will be acknowledged. 

Edited By: Saurabh Sarda

Published By: K. Bindhiya Prarthana