Akshay Wadkar

Born on July 9, 1994, in Nagpur, Maharashtra, Akshay Wadkar is a resolute wicketkeeper-batter who serves as the heartbeat of the Vidarbha cricket team. Wadkar made his first-class debut for Vidarbha during the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy season, stepping into the team at a pivotal moment. He immediately etched his name into domestic folklore during the final of that very season against Delhi in Indore. Coming in under immense pressure, he scored a magnificent, unbeaten century (133 not out) to steer Vidarbha to their maiden Ranji Trophy title, becoming only the second batter in tournament history to score a hundred in a Ranji final on debut.

He repeated his penchant for high-stakes heroics in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy final against Saurashtra, anchoring the innings with a crucial 102 as Vidarbha successfully defended their championship crown. Over successive seasons, Wadkar’s leadership qualities and reliability saw him take over the full-time captaincy, guiding Vidarbha with quiet authority. Under his inspirational leadership, Vidarbha triumphed once again to capture the Ranji Trophy title in the 2024-25 season.

Continuing his stellar leadership and form into the 2025-26 and 2026-27 domestic seasons, Wadkar has continued to lead from the front. Kicking off the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy campaign in October 2026, he played a marathon captain's knock of 198 runs against Puducherry, anchoring a vital rescue mission alongside Yash Rathod, also marking his career-best batting performance in the process.