Delhi debutant Sarang Rawat shuns helmet, faces fast bowlers wearing a cap

Facing up to fast bowlers without helmets is unheard of since the days of Viv Richards

Delhi debutant Sarang Rawat has attracted a lot of attention by deciding to face up to fast bowlers without the protection of a helmet on Day 3 of the ongoing round of Ranji Trophy matches. The 19-year-old came in at No.10 with Delhi in a spot of bother against Vidharba, and played a crucial knock of 42, which took his team over the line to get the first innings lead and the possibility of an outright win on Sunday.

What took everybody by surprise and considerable dismay, and prompted coach Vijay Dahiya to describe as "not a clever thing to do", was Rawat’s act of calling the substitute fielder and giving away his helmet, and walking out wearing a normal cap as he faced pacer Ravi Thakur in the 87th over.

For the next nine overs, he continued wearing a cap against Thakur, Shrikant Wagh and Swapnil Bandiwar.

Ever since helmets have been introduced in cricket in the 1970s, batsmen have very rarely considered not using it when facing fast bowlers. Viv Richards, who played his last match in 1992, was the last batsman known to have shunned helmets.

Rawat and Manan Sharma combined for a 88-run partnership for the eighth wicket, rising up to the occasion when Delhi needed them most. Earlier, captain Gautam Gambhir had played a fighting innings of 96, but his departure had set about a batting collapse before the rescue effort by Rawat and Sharma.

Instructed Sarang to wear helmet: Dahiya

Sarang’s act was not only one of bravado, there was some thinking behind it as well, as revealed by his teammate after the day’s play.

"Actually, Sarang loves to hook and pull. He thought that wearing a cap would force the Vidarbha bowlers to dig it in and he can make most of short balls," said Sarang’s Delhi teammate Pradeep Sangwan to PTI.

However, the young star’s act struck Delhi coach Vijay Dahiya as foolhardy, and he instructed him to wear it after the lunch break.

"I don't think it was a very clever thing to do. I told him that Vidarbha pacers might not get it to rear it up to his face with their pace but it may well happen that a delivery kicks up enough and takes off hitting the handle off his bat up to his face. I told him to wear the helmet," Dahiya said.

Ironically, Sarang was out trying to fend a short ball when he was in fact wearing a helmet. A twist of fate about which Sangwan laughed and said, "Then his plan changed and it failed."