Rajvardhan Hangargekar

Rajvardhan Hangargekar is a promising young cricketer from India known for his fierce right-arm pace bowling, effortlessly clocking speeds of up to 145 km/h. Born on November 24, 2002, in Tuljapur, Maharashtra, Hangargekar has already showcased remarkable performances in domestic cricket. He made his Twenty20 debut on January 16, 2021, representing Maharashtra in the 2020–21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. His standout performance in the T20 format earned him a spot in Maharashtra's List A squad for the 2020–21 Vijay Hazare Trophy.

With more than 50 wickets in the domestic circuit, Hangargekar continues to impress selectors and cricket enthusiasts alike. Despite a lukewarm outing in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2022 in the West Indies, where he managed to secure just 5 wickets, his consistent performances earned him a spot in the Indian Premier League auction for the 2022 season.

During the auction, a dramatic bidding war unfolded between Mumbai and Chennai, with Hangargekar eventually being picked by Chennai for a staggering INR 1.5 crores, surpassing his base price of INR 30 lakhs. Since then, he has been a part of the Chennai franchise, although his playing opportunities have been limited, he has displayed his ability to generate pace and has benefited from sharing the dressing room with cricketing greats like MS Dhoni, making it a valuable learning experience for the young cricketer.