Robin Uthappa Still Working Hard At A Team India Comeback, Might Turn Up For Saurashtra In The Ranji Trophy
He has been granted a NOC by Karnataka.
Karnataka batsman Robin Uthappa will not play Ranji Trophy for the Kerala state team after all. The India international, who won back-to-back treble with Karnataka, on Friday sent a request to the Saurashtra Cricket Association to play for their team.
He is trying to win back a place in the national team and this might be a step towards that as he looks to get back on the radar of the selectors.
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¡°We have received the application,¡± said Himanshu Shah, SCA media manager. ¡°But we haven¡¯t confirmed him as our player yet. The association will take a call at a later stage after discussing with the parties concerned like the coach and captain.¡±
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It¡¯s understood that Uthappa sought to move out of Karnataka after being dropped over his inconsistent form (328 runs in seven games) in the previous domestic season. He secured a No Objection Certificate from the Karnataka State Cricket Association in June and was immediately touted to play for Kerala. ¡°We tried to stop him,¡± KSCA secretary Sudhakar Rao said.
¡°We had two meetings with him but we couldn't convince him to stay. He had his own plans. ¡®I've played here; now I want to play elsewhere,¡¯ is what he said. We tried to retain him. But we can't force anybody.
He has reached this level only because of this ctate. The final decision was his. Wherever he goes, our best wishes are always with him. He is our boy." Uthappa was the highest run getter in Karnataka¡¯s 2014-15 season with 912 runs in 11matches, including two centuries and five fifties.
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In the previous season, he played only five matches and managed 374 runs with a hundred and two half-centuries. He was ¡®rested¡¯ for the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Tamil Nadu and fell out of favour with the then Karnataka coach, J Arun Kumar.
Karnataka eventually lost that match despite boasting of India internationals Manish Pandey, Karun Nair and KL Rahul, and suffered a premature end to their season. Given that Saurashtra will miss Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara due to national duty, Uthappa will get ample opportunity under captain Jaydev Shah.