Left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla has parted ways with the Mumbai team and joined Kerala for the upcoming domestic season. The 26-year-old had been playing for Mumbai since 2007 but the lack of regular opportunities in the starting XI propelled Abdulla to sign up with Kerala. Abdulla currently plays Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and was a part of the Mumbai XI that won the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy final.
The transfer deadline for the 2016-17 Indian domestic cricket season closed on Thursday with teams trying to finish their businesses as quickly as possible. Abdulla's exit might be surprising for a lot of people but a look at numbers would tell you that it was about time that he moved on for regular opportunities. Ever since making his first class debut against Karachi Urban in 2007, Abdulla has played only 50 games for Mumbai, picking 152 wickets at an average of 29.18.
Abdulla’s stock as a cricketer rose in early 2008, when he was a part of the famous U-19 team that won the ICC World Cup under the leadership of Virat Kohli. Abdulla, alongside the likes of Kohli, Sreevats Goswami and Ravindra Jadeja, was an important part of India winning the coveted tournament. However, lack of opportunities and inconsistency have hampered Abdulla’s progress over the years.
Speaking to Times of India, Abdulla said, "I'm thankful that I got a chance to play for Mumbai for almost a decade, but I want to play for India `A,' and then eventually India and that can't happen if I play four-five games in a season. I need to play more, which I'll get playing for Kerala.
Despite doing well in the pre-season tournaments, I was ignored for the first five games. After I was recalled in the middle of the season, I took 20 wickets in six matches, and that tally could've been much more if I was played more,” he added.
Abdulla is not the only Mumbai player who is going to feature for Kerala in the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy season as opening batsman Bhavin Thakkar will also be plying his trade for the team from South India. Both these exits are likely to affect the Mumbai team, given the experience and usefulness of Iqbal Abdulla as a player and the extra option provided by Bhavin Thakkar.
Kerala is a growing team as far as the Ranji Trophy is concerned and the addition of players from more seasoned outfits is certainly going to benefit them. Though the team is yet to be announced to the 2016-17 season, Kerala will be buoyed by the presence of newcomers and would look to make significant inroads in India’s premier domestic cricket competition.
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