Kanitkar, Hirwani rise to dizzy domestic heights

Hrishikesh Hemant Kanitkar is one of those players who could never hold on to his place in the Indian team. The 28-year-old from Maharashtra has been in good form over the last two seasons - trying to rebuild his career. Last season he scored heavily, missing out on a couple of double-hundreds narrowly. The only consolation for Kanitkar has been the odd appearance for the Board President's XI against the visiting international teams.

Kanitkar seems to be playing with a new resolve and vigour this season, scoring 50 and above six times in his nine outings so far in Ranji Trophy. For someone who averages a healthy 58 runs in first class cricket, this domestic season has been remarkable. Scoring 114 and 64 against Madhya Pradesh in the second round of Plate group matches has been the beginning of the purple patch. The superb form with the bat helped Kanitkar smash his highest individual score of 290 against the lowly Bihar at Tata Digwadi Stadium in Jamadoba. And that big double hundred has helped Kanitkar to the top of Ray-Ban batting rating.

There seems to be no stopping the evergreen spin bowler in the Indian domestic circuit - Narendra Deepchand Hirwani. The legspinner has been in tremendous form this season, picking up 45 wickets in six games. Hirwani has so far picked 628 First Class wickets at an average of 27.46, and the 34-year-old from Madhya Pradesh has not played a Test match for more than six years! Hirwani is indeed making it loud and clear that he is the spin king in India - bowling on dust bowls, which helps the ball to jump and turn a great deal.

Hirwani's last two first-class games has been simply prolific - against Jammu & Kashmir in the Ranji Trophy Plate game, he picked up 11 wickets in the match. Hirwani struck early blows and went on to pick 5/51 in the J&K first innings, and in the second, Hirwani opened the bowling for Madhya Pradesh. Making full use of the helpful conditions, the leg-spinner went on to bowl Madhya Pradesh to victory with the figures of 44-17-89-6. Hirwani's Ranji Trophy season ended with Madhya Pradesh being knocked out by Kerala in the Plate Semi Final played at Nehra Stadium in Kochi. A seven-wicket match haul was only a consolation for the veteran spin bowler.