Who is Raj Bawa? 5 interesting facts about all-rounder who could be picked up at IPL 2024 Auction
The IPL 2024 auction will be held in Dubai on December 19. The upcoming season, which will be held from March to May of next year, will be the 17th edition of the T20 tournament. All 10 franchises have submitted their list of retained players. They will look to replace their released players in the mini-auction.
Fast bowling all-rounders such as Sam Curran, Cameron Green and Ben Stokes were the highest earners in the previous auction. It is likely to be the case again, with the likes of Pat Cummins and Gerald Coetzee included in the auction. Certain teams will also have their eyes on uncapped Indian all-rounders.
One fast-bowling all-rounder from India who could be picked up in the IPL 2014 auction is Raj Bawa. Here are five interesting facts about him:
#1 Raj Bawa was part of the U-19 World Cup-winning team in 2022
Raj Bawa was one of the star performers for India in the U-19 World Cup a couple of years ago. He scored 252 runs in five innings at an average of 63 and a strike rate of 100.80. With 10 sixes, he was the joint-second-highest six-hitter in the tournament.
A right-arm medium fast bowler by trade, Bawa bagged nine wickets in six matches. In fact, he picked up a five-wicket haul as well as a four-wicket haul, which means all his wickets came in just two encounters.
The left-handed batter also broke Shikhar Dhawan's 18-year record for the highest individual score by an Indian at an U-19 World Cup. Dhawan had scored 155* against Scotland in 2004. Bawa scored an unbeaten 162 against Uganda to claim the record.
#2 He was Player of the Match in the U-19 World Cup final
The 21-year-old was named the Player of the Match in the final against the England U-19s. He picked up five wickets for the concession of 31 runs in 9.5 overs in the first innings. Walking in to bat at 97/4, he scored a steady, yet important, 35 runs in 54 deliveries to achieve the 190-run target.
#3 Bawa was picked up by the Punjab Kings in the IPL 2022 auction
Owing to his brilliant performances in the 2022 U-19 World Cup, a few IPL franchises were interested in him. Bawa caused a bidding war between Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Mumbai Indians. He was eventually bought by the Punjab franchise for ₹2 crore.
He played two matches for the Shikhar Dhawan-led side in IPL 2022, but just managed to score 11 runs. Bawa will be keen on making amends if he is given the opportunity to represent a team in IPL 2024.
#4 He is the grandson of an Olympic gold medalist
Sport runs in Raj Bawa's family. His grandfather, Trilochan Bawa, was a member of the Indian men's hockey team that won the gold medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.
#5 His idol is Yuvraj Singh
Raj Bawa's father, Sukhwinder Bawa, is a cricket coach who used to train Indian legend Yuvraj Singh. Considering Raj Bawa also joined the same academy where Yuvraj used to practice, it comes as no surprise that Yuvraj is his idol.
Raj was short-tempered during his childhood days, which is why he used to get angry when Yuvraj used to tease him at that time. The young all-rounder also shares a good bond with former PBKS teammate Arshdeep Singh.