Mohit Ahlawat set for Delhi Daredevils trial after triple century in local t20 match
What’s the story?
Delhi Daredevils CEO Hemant Dua confirmed that Delhi Ranji cricketer Mohit Ahlawat, who became the first player to score a triple century in a T20 match, has been called up for trials with the Indian Premier League side. The 21-year-old is coached by Sanjay Bhardwaj, childhood coach of Indian opener Gautam Gambhir.
Sunil Walson, who was part of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning side and is the Associate Vice President GMR Sports (Delhi Daredevils), will oversee the process of the Delhi Ranji cricketer’s trails.
Speaking to CricketNext, Dua said: “Yes, Mohit has been called for trials. We keep tapping young talent and scouting future stars. Walson will be there to keep an eye on the whole process”.
Extra Cover: Delhi Ranji cricketer Mohit Ahlawat scores 300 in a local T20 game
In case you didn’t know...
Mohit Ahlawat became an overnight sensation as he scored unbeaten 300 for Maavi XI against Friend’s XI in the Friends Premier League at the Lalita Park in New Delhi's Laxmi Nagar area. His 300* came off just 72 balls and included 39 sixes and 14 fours and helped his side put on 416/1 in their 20 overs.
The 21-year-old has already played for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. He played three matches in 2015 but unfortunately, they weren’t as fruitful as the wicketkeeper-batsman scored just five runs in those three matches, which included three ducks and a highest score of just 4.
Details
On face value, it might seem as though that Ahlawat got his chance to trail with Delhi Daredevils courtesy of his triple century in a local T20 match but his coach Sanjay Bhardwaj believes that he has a sound technique and is a sound wicketkeeper as well.
Although the 21-year-old’s tryst with first-class cricket didn’t go as planned as he was dropped after just three matches, Bhardwaj is very happy that Daredevils have taken note of a farmer’s son who has had to struggle a great deal in his pursuit of playing cricket.
His coach also revealed that Ahlawat got a call from Walson and was asked to go for a trail with the IPL side, which he hopes will prove to be fruitful.
What’s next?
It will be interesting to see how Mohit’s trail goes and if the Ranji cricketer does indeed get an IPL contract to his name. The 21-year-old has certainly made a name for himself in T20s but if his coach’s account of his style of play is anything to go by, it does look as though he will go onto bigger things.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Scoring a triple century in a T20 game is not easy, even if it did come in a local T20 game. While Delhi Daredevils’ decision to call him up for a trial might reek of impulsiveness on the back of one knock in a local T20 game in Delhi, the fact that Ahlawat has already played Ranji cricket is proof that he isn’t just a one-trick pony.