Haldwani: Cricket began in Uttarakhand in 2018. This was because before this, the state did not have a team participating in domestic cricket. The BCCI granted recognition to Uttarakhand in 2018, and the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand took charge in 2019. Although the state has been playing cricket for three years now, its players have shown remarkable skills compared to those from other states, and continue to do so.
Today, we will talk about Haldwani resident Deekshanshu Negi. Starting cricket from Haldwani Stadium, this player is now part of the Mumbai Indians team in the IPL. Deekshanshu has been added as a supporting player by the most successful team in the IPL. Additionally, in the 2019-2020 season, he was the highest run-scorer for Uttarakhand in the Ranji Trophy. In the 2020-2021 season, Deekshanshu made history in bowling during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, becoming the leading wicket-taker in an innings.
Deekshanshu Negi’s Beginnings
Haldwani resident Deekshanshu Negi initially joined Haldwani Stadium. There, he met Coach Dan Singh Kanyal. In an interview with a private website, Deekshanshu mentioned that he joined cricket for a summer camp. Initially, he preferred fast bowling and later enjoyed hitting boundaries. Gradually, his interest grew serious, and Coach Dan Singh Kanyal assisted him.
Deekshanshu began with the Haldwani Cricketers Club. He mentioned that there was a serious atmosphere regarding studies at home. Relatives insisted on completing studies first before thinking about cricket. Deekshanshu studied at DBS Haldwani. He says that during that time, cricket was limited to university level in Haldwani. During this period, Deekshanshu earned a good name in the Kumaon region. In 2009, Coach Dan Singh Kanyal advised him to go to Bengaluru, and after completing college studies, he went there.
Deekshanshu Negi says that his relatives advised him to work alongside sports. He played a lot of cricket in Karnataka, which benefited him in the Ranji Trophy. Seniors in Karnataka helped him, and he managed to join the KPL. Several Indian players played in the KPL, and he learned a lot from them. Deekshanshu was part of the KPL for six years. After Uttarakhand gained recognition, Deekshanshu turned towards Devbhoomi. He became part of the team in 2019 and gave a splendid performance. Deekshanshu Negi was chosen as an all-rounder for the team.
Deekshanshu’s Career in Uttarakhand
In the 2019-2020 season, Deekshanshu Negi scored the most runs (450) for Uttarakhand in the Ranji Trophy. During this period, he hit three fifties with his bat. In his debut against Jammu and Kashmir, he played a splendid half-century. Meanwhile, in limited overs cricket, Deekshanshu showed remarkable bowling. In the 2020-2021 season, he performed brilliantly in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In the first match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he played a splendid innings against Baroda. Deekshanshu Negi played a knock of 77 runs. After this, he was invited for trials by Karnataka and Mumbai Indians. Before that, in the Vijay Hazare Tournament, Deekshanshu Negi had made history. He became the first bowler from the state to take more than five wickets in an ODI. Against Mizoram, Deekshanshu took 6 wickets for 21 runs in 5 overs. He also became the first spinner to take five wickets for Uttarakhand in an ODI. Deekshanshu Negi has played a total of 31 matches for Uttarakhand. He scored 855 runs and also hit four fifties with his bat. In addition, Negi has performed well in bowling, taking 33 wickets.
