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Ranji Trophy final – ‘I want to give back to the game’ – Dhawal Kulkarni after signing-off a winner

When Tanush Kotian cleaned up Yash Thakur to leave Vidarbha nine down in their chase of 538 in the Ranji Trophy final at the Wankhede, Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane threw the ball to Dhawal Kulkarni, looking to give him one final hurrah. Kulkarni duly obliged, rattling the stumps as Umesh Yadav missed a wild hoick to wrap up the title for Mumbai. An emotional Kulkarni was honoured in the presentation ceremony and then as the team celebrated, his team-mates lifted him up on their shoulders in front of the home crowd. It was a fitting farewell, if there ever was one.

Kulkarni, who wanted to finish his career on a high, is not done with cricket, though, saying that he now wants to give back to the sport that has given him plenty.

“I’ve not thought about it much but cricket has given me so much that I want to give it back to the game, whether it be coaching or whatever role that I get,” Kulkarni said in the post-match press conference. “I want to give it back to cricket. So everything I do in the future, it will be around cricket.”

Having debuted for Mumbai in 2007, Kulkarni leaves after representing the team in 208 matches across formats.

Kulkarni was moved by Rahane’s gesture to give him the chance to take the last Vidarbha wicket.

“It is quite memorable because you want to end your career on a high. Tushar [Deshpande] was bowling. Shardul [Thakur] and Ajinkya discussed that ‘we should give it to Dhawal’. I wasn’t actually ready to bowl but then they said ‘no you bowl’.

“It was quite a memorable wicket. I took the first wicket of the game and the last wicket, so it was quite memorable.”

Kulkarni, who played 12 ODIs and two T20Is for India, felt he could have had more chances to represent the country, but he said he did not want to dwell on the past.

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“What’s gone is gone. I look at the future [rather] than what’s happened in the past,” Kulkarni said. “I know I should have played more cricket for the Indian team, but what’s gone is gone. I’ve never cribbed about it.”

“I’ve never pointed my finger at anyone. That’s how I am. That’s my personality. I’ve always taken that as a challenge. I’ve always wanted to improve, not looking at others but at my game or myself. Each and every day when I stepped on the field, I wanted to do better. How can I do better – that was the question on my mind.”

Kulkarni finishes his playing career with 95 first-class appearances, in which he took 281 wickets. He also has 223 wickets from 130 List-A games and 154 wickets from 162 T20s.

Rahane, who has played with Kulkarni from when they were Under-19 cricketers, lauded his team-mate’s never-say-die attitude and his longevity for Mumbai.

“I think, there are lot of good qualities about Dhawal. We were room partners for many years. But one thing about him as a cricketer [that stood out], the determination and the attitude of never giving up,” Rahane said. “Playing for 17 years for Mumbai is not easy. But the commitment and determination with which he has played day-in day-out every year has been amazing.

“It’s very easy when things are not going your way. But as a cricketer, he has shown that what is in his control, the commitment throughout the years… I have always seen [it],” Rahane said. “We were room partners in our younger days but after that I have watched him grow. He has won many games for Mumbai.

“I think he has played in six finals and we have won all six [Mumbai won five of the finals Kulkarni played in]. His character on the field has been amazing. And I’ve been really happy for him, for his career.”

Abhimanyu Bose is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo

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