Dhawal Kulkarni. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)
Gone are the days when retirement plans for cricketers meant foraying to business or broadcasting the game. Legends League Cricket has shifted the dynamics and has managed to procure some star former cricketers under one roof. Former India Cricketer, Dhawal Kulkarni, who plays for India Capitals in LLC has reiterated this very aspect of the T20 league.
The 35-year-old last played for India in an ODI game against New Zealand in October 2016. He was predominantly known for his domestic cricket shenanigans for Mumbai. He led Mumbai to the Ranji Trophy Title in 2024 before retiring from first-class cricket. Kulkarni stated that LLC is a great option for cricketers to stay connected with the game.
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“Legends Cricket League is a great platform for the retired cricketers who want to continue playing. It is a good platform for them to stay connected with cricket. Previously, former cricketers were limited to only coaching and commentating after hanging their boots,” Kulkarni said as quoted by Pune News.
It takes time for your body to get used to: Kulkarni
The veteran had a splendid first-class career playing for Mumbai. He featured in 96 games and the pacer grabbed 285 wickets. Not only this, he has 223 wickets in List A games as well. Playing 160 T20 games, the right-arm pacer has claimed 154 crickets. He thanked physios and coaches for managing the workload in LLC amidst tight schedule.
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“It is very tough to play after 4-5 months due to rain in Mumbai but we trained in Jodhpur before the tournament and coaches and physio did a great job in managing our workload for the tournament. It takes time for your body to get used to and in T201 we don’t get much time to adjust,” he added.
Kulkarni featured for India in 12 ODIs and two T20Is. He plucked 22 wickets combined for India in the limited opportunities he got.