Ankit Bawne, the batting lynchpin in the Maharashtra line-up, is a suspicious starter for the Vijay Hazare final against Saurashtra in Ahmedabad on Friday (December 2) while Bawne (29) is the highest scorer for his side, which is hoping to win its maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Ankit Bawne, the batting lynchpin in the Maharashtra line-up, is a suspicious starter for the Vijay Hazare final against Saurashtra in Ahmedabad on Friday (December 2). Bawne (29) is the highest scorer for his side, which is hoping to win its maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy.
“I am going for the MRI scans and will see what the reports will be,”
Bawne, a right-handed batsman, who has scored 571 in eight games, 19 more than the side’s star batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad, told Cricbuzz on the eve of the final.
Bawne suffered an extreme strain in his hip a ball before he got out in the semifinals against Assam on Wednesday (November 30). He rolled 110 and was out in the final over and did not field in the Assam innings. Maharashtra won by 12 runs but the win may have come at a cost.
“The pain was severe and I did not field. Because at that time I could not even walk. I still have discomfort and pain and with the gap between the semifinals and final being only one day, I am not sure how things will pan out. Today I feel better than yesterday,”
Bawne, who has had scores of 37 (vs UP), 184 not out (vs Puducherry), 95 (vs Mizoram), 73 (vs Services), 34 (vs Mumbai), 28 (vs Bengal) and 10 (vs Railways) besides 110 against Assam, in the 50-over tournament so far, said.
Is he confident of making it to the final XI on the morrow?
“It is a big game for all of us and it all depends on the advice of the doctor. I will want to play even if I am 80 percent fit. I will run and bat tomorrow morning and see how I feel. The condition has slightly improved since yesterday,”
the soft-spoken batsman, who has played 104 first-class games, 98 List A, and 30 T20 games for the state, said.
Coach Santosh Jedhe has his fingers crossed.
“The Ankit situation is better than yesterday. About chances, I would say 50-50. We are working on the player and the doctor is monitoring him,”
Jedhe (56), the former state batsman told this website.