Akshay Karnewar plays for Ranji champions Vidarbha and he can bowl with both hands

Akshay Karnewar is an ambidextrous bowler and an effective batsman. The Vidarbha cricketer played a crucial knock in the final of the Ranji Trophy and picked up the important wicket of Shreyas Iyer on the opening day of the Irani Cup.

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Akshay Karnewar plays for Ranji champions Vidarbha and he can bowl with both hands
Akshay Karnewar is an ambidextrous bowler - someone who can bowl with both hands (BCCI Photo)

In Short

  • Akshay Karnewar picked 31 wickets including two five-wicket hauls from 11 first-class matches
  • Karnewar is no dud with the bat either and has 429 runs at an average of 30.64 with a best of 94
  • Karnewar does not spin the ball much but his guile often leaves batsmen perplexed

Akshay Karnewar can do everything on a cricket field. He can bowl right-arm off-break. He can bowl left-arm spin. And he can bat. The 26-year-old Karnewar played a crucial role for Vidarbha in their victory over Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy final in Nagpur.

Akshay Karnewar is in action again for Vidarbha in the Irani Cup against Rest of India. In the first innings on the opening day, he picked up the important wicket of Shreyas Iyer which triggered a collapse.

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Karnewar is not just an effective ambidextrous bowler. In 11 first-class matches before the Irani Cup, which got underway on February 12, he had picked 31 wickets including two five-wicket hauls. He has also 429 runs at an average of 30.64 with a best of 94.

In the final against Saurashtra, Karnewar scored an unbeaten 73 to lead a lower-order revival after Vidarbha had crashed to 196 for 7.

Karnewar does not spin the ball much but his guile often leaves batsmen perplexed. On Tuesday against Rest of India, Karnewar bowled 15 overs, gave away 50 runs and picked up the wicket of Shreyas Iyer.

Rest of India were cruising along at 231 for 3 with Iyer looking solid alongside first innings centurion Hanuma Vihari. But Karnewar ended Iyer's stint with a sharp, accurate delivery.

Following Iyer's dismissal, Rest of India lost Ishan Kishan, K Gowtham and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja in quick succession.