Malolan Rangarajan is just 30 but lack of playing opportunities and years of coping with frustrations and disappointments have forced this off-spinner who believed in flight and deception to go down a different career path.
Malolan will now head the talent scouting wing for Royal Challengers Bangalore. This also means he will have to call time on his career as a cricketer.
With 136 wickets in 47 first class games at 28.98 - he represented South Zone in the Duleep Trophy - Malolan often struck crucial blows. He was also a compelling striker of the ball with 1379 first class runs at 28.14 with a hundred and seven half centuries.
Good opportunity
Malolan told Sportstar on Thursday, “The break at RCB is a very good opportunity for me. I can build on that. You see in 2016-17, I played only four Ranji games for Tamil Nadu. In 2017-18, it was just one. Then last season I played for Uttarakhand but got to know that they were going in for a left-arm spinner this season.”
Malolan added, “Looking at the schedule, R. Ashwin should be available for the entire Ranji season this year. And Washington Sundar too will be there for most games. I don’t see myself getting too many opportunities.”
Thus, Malolan, noted, his decision to move to talent scouting, a pathway to becoming a coach really, was a practical one. He has not announced his retirement officially. “I will take a call if I am picked,” he remarked with a smile and then rather mysteriously added, “You know what my answer would be.”
The truth is Malolan has set his mind on becoming a part of the support staff and then growing in a specific role. One road ends and another begins in Malolan’s journey.
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