Kamlesh Nagarkoti's return delayed; ruled out of Emerging Teams Asia Cup

Teenage pacer Kamlesh Nagarkoti, one of India’s sensations at the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand last year, has been ruled out of the Emerging Teams Asia Cup scheduled to kick off next week in Bangladesh. The medical team of the BCCI informed the disappointing news about Nagarkoti on Friday.

A bowler who is known to clock 140 kph with the ball consistently, Nagarkoti was eyeing a return to action in the upcoming tournament. The cricketer has last played in a competitive game in February 2018 when he represented Rajasthan against Tamil Nadu in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Nagarkoti was picked by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL but he has missed two entire seasons in 2018 and 2019 because of the injury.

The latest ruling-out will be a major blow for Nagarkoti as he was being constantly monitored by experts at the National Cricket Academy where he underwent rehabilitation following stress fractures in his lower back, heel and ankle.

Kamlesh Nagarkoti replaced by Shivam Mavi

While it was an opportunity lost for Nagarkoti, he was replaced by Shivam Mavi, another pacer who played alongside him in the U19 World Cup. The 20-year-old Mavi last played for his state Uttar Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this year and has 19 first-class wickets from five games and 18 wickets from 13 List-A cricket.

Nagarkoti, on the other hand, has played nine List A games so far in which he has taken 11 wickets at an average of 25. He is the bowler to have picked the first-ever hat-trick for Rajasthan in List A games.

The Indian squad for the Emerging Teams Asia Cup includes Arman Jaffer, nephew of former India opener Wasim Jaffer. Pacer Arshdeep Singh, who suffered a quadriceps injury, was replaced by Aditya Thakare.

India, who ended as the runners-up in the tournament’s 2018 edition by losing narrowly to Sri Lanka in the final, have been placed with hosts Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Nepal in Group A this time. Group B, on the other hand, consists of Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Oman.

India play their first game against Nepal in Savar on November 14. The final will be played in Dhaka on November 23.

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