It is a dream of every child who ever picks up a bat or a ball to represent their country at an international level, to wear the Indian jersey, to walk out onto the pitch wearing national crest blazer on their chest, to bleed blue. However, there have been several talented youngsters who never are able to achieve the honour and don the Indian jersey. And one of them was Mithun Manhas.
Manhas has been one of the most prolific batsmen in the Ranji Trophy. He is the only middle-order batsman who was born in the wrong era of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly. Throughout his best days, he never found a place in the Indian team. Manhas played 157 first-class matches scoring 9714 runs at an average of 45.82 with the help of 27 centuries and 49 half-centuries.
He played a crucial role during Delhi’s run in the Ranji Trophy in 2007-08 season, where he scored 598 runs. He is also an off-break bowler who guarantees you wickets. He was Delhi’s go-to man for the better part his domestic career. Manhas also played in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils and Pune Warriors. But now, at 37, it is nearly impossible for Manhas to live his dream to play for the national side.
Meanwhile, in 2015, Manhas joined Jammu and Kashmir team for 2015-16 Ranji title season and in 2017 he was appointed as an assistant coach of IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab.
