Controversy Erupts as IPL-Out Player Appears in Thane Premier League

A player from the Mumbai Indians has started to make the headlines and it is not a senior team star. It is Atharva Ankolekar. When the IPL started, he was ruled out of the tournament within a few weeks. Ankolekar suffered with a knee injury (torn meniscus), due to which the team had to miss out on him for the remainder of the season. 

He also underwent a surgery for the same at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. Atharva suffered with this injury in the Ranji Trophy clash against Hyderabad. Following his injury, Mumbai Indians announced on 16 April that Atharva Ankolekar has been replaced by Krish Bhagat, as the former was ruled out of the tournament due to an injury. 

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But things have gotten slightly heated up in the last few days. He was spotted playing a match in the Thane Premier League. The tournament’s official page posted about Atharva Ankolekar being the Player of the Match for his all-around performances. 

Our Take

Atharva Ankolekar playing in a different league after being ruled out from the IPL remains a serious concern. While Mumbai Indians noted that he won't be available for the team to play for the remainder of the season, it seems that his recovery has been quick. And since the team has already signed Krish Bhagat as a replacement, there is no chance for Ankolekar to make a comeback in the tournament. If he wasn't injured, he would have also made his debut for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.