Disillusioned Subodh Bhati returns home with a five-wicket haul

Subodh Bhati, the Delhi medium-pacer who played Ranji Trophy sparingly for Delhi between 2014 and 2020 before moving to Chennai to work with Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) office and represent Puducherry as professional, has returned to the Capital after a gap of a few years to play cricket.

The right-arm pace bowler picked 5/31 to help Sahgal Cricket Club beat SRK Technology by three wickets in the first quarterfinal of the All India Tyagmurti Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial Cricket Tournament underway at the SGTB Khalsa College Ground. The tournament is part of Delhi cricket's Hot Weather circuit. 

His spell, which saw him pick two early wickets, then one and then return to pick two more scalps, helped Sahgal restrict SRK Technology Cricket Club to 220/8 in 40 overs. Ankit Pratap Singh (86 off 75 balls) and Krish Yadav (51 off 53) were the top-scorers.

Sahgals then reached 221/7 in 33.1 overs with Mohit Ahlawat (59 off 49 balls) and Mayank Rawat (40 off 33 balls) taking the team home.

"I have returned to Delhi since I am upset with the treatment given to me at CAG office in Chennai. I have been asked by CAG Head Office to represent the national-level CAG team but the Chennai office was not cooperative in giving me break for CAG matches. The treatment to me in CAG Chennai team was also not good as I was being under-utilised. I was hired on sports quota and still not given break to play cricket is very unfair," said Bhati to www.thedelhijunction.com on Saturday.

"I have applied for a transfer to Delhi office. If it doesn't happen, then I will definitely quit my job as I cannot go back to Chennai," he said.

Bhati represented Puducherry in Ranji Trophy in the 2021-22 season -- his last first class match. He also participated in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) and was the leading wicket-taker till before the final in the 2023 edition. He ended as the joint highest wicket-taker behind Shahrukh Khan with 15 scalps.

He also participated in last year's edition and picked eight wickets.

"The return to Delhi has been good. This was my third match. I played two matches of Laxman Dass Memorial Cricket Tournament, where we have entered the final, and one match of this tournament."

Tags : Delhi cricket, Subodh Bhati, CAG, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Premier League, Khalsa College, Sahgal Cricket Club