Team India skipper Rohit Sharma applauded his retiring Mumbai teammate Dhawal Kulkarni after the team's victory in the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 Final against Vidarbha at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, March 14.
Kulkarni played the final match of his first-class career in the Ranji Trophy Final, where Mumbai defeated Vidarbha by 169 runs to clinch the 42nd title of India's prestigious domestic tournament. The 35-year-old had a fairytale end to his illustrious first-class career as he picked four wickets in the final, including a final wicket in the second innings to help Mumbai win the Ranji Trophy final.
Taking to his Instagram story, Rohit Sharma hailed Dhawal Kulkarni's contribution to Mumbai Cricket and dubbed him as 'Mumbaicha Yoddha' (Warrior of Mumbai). Rohit and Kulkarni shared Mumbai's dressing room while both played for the state team together in the domestic cricket.
"Mumbaicha Yoddha. Well done on a fantastic career @dhawal_kulkarni." Rohit wrote on his Instagram story.
Mumbai set a target of 538 for Vidarbha to chase after being bundled out for 418 in the second innings. At the end of Day 4, Vidarbha were seemingly looking in a good position to chase the target with 248/5 on the board and requiring 290 runs to win. However, the visitors were bundled out for 368 on the final day despite skipper Akshay Wadkar fighting century.
Mumbai further solidified their status as the most successful Ranji Trophy team by clinching the 42nd title of the tournament and the first since 2015-16 season.
Dhawal Kulkarni's career in first-class cricket
Dhawal Kulkarni has been stalwart of Mumbai cricket since making his first-class debut for the team in a Ranji Trophy match in 2007. Kulkarni played a crucial role in helping Mumbai clinch the 40th Ranji Trophy title, defeating Saurashtra in the final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
In that Ranji Trophy final, Dhawal Kulkarni picked nine wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings to help Mumbai win the prestigious domestic tournament. In 2017-18 Ranji Trophy season, the 34-year-old emerged as the leading wicket-taker for Mumbai, scalping 21 wickets, including a four-wicket, at an average of 26.28 in six matches.
Dhawal Kulkarni consistently performed well for Mumbai in Ranji Trophy over the years and scalped 127 wickets, including 6 five-wicket hauls, at an average of 24.49 and with an economy rate of 2.53 in 42 matches.
Overall, in first-class career, Kulkarni picked 281 wickets, including 15 fifers, at an average of 27.31 and with an economy rate of 2.74 in 95 matches.
