Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have reached an agreement to exchange players Mayank Dagar and Shahbaz Ahmed ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) edition, officially announced by both the teams.
Mayank Dagar, acquired by SRH for Rs 1.8 crore last year, had limited impact in the previous season with three opportunities. On the other hand, Shahbaz Ahmed, purchased by RCB for Rs 2.4 crore in the 2022 auction, faced a challenging season with 10 appearances that didn’t showcase his best performance.
Given that both players specialize in slow left-arm bowling, this trade is essentially a like-for-like exchange. However, it’s noted that Shahbaz Ahmed brings added value with his batting potential, providing an interesting dimension to the swap between the two franchises. We know much about Shahbaz Ahmed, but who is Mayank Dagar?
Mayank Dagar, the 27-year-old left-arm bowling all-rounder from Himachal Pradesh, marked his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut in a match between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad at CSK’s home ground, MA Chidambaram Stadium in IPL 2023.
Although he wasn’t initially part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad Playing XI, Mayank was designated as the impact player for the second innings. He replaced Rahul Tripathi during Hyderabad’s bowling.
Mayank had previously signed an IPL contract with Punjab Kings in 2018 but didn’t secure a playing opportunity. In the IPL 2023 auction, Sunrisers Hyderabad acquired him for a substantial price of Rs 1.8 crore.
Hailing from Delhi, Mayank has experience in List A, First-Class (FC), and T20 cricket. In 34 FC matches, he has taken 97 wickets and scored 801 runs. In 46 List A games, he has scalped 51 wickets and contributed 393 runs. His T20 statistics include 44 matches, 44 wickets, and 72 runs.
Entering the IPL 2023 auction with a base price of Rs 20 lakh, Mayank attracted interest from both SRH and Rajasthan Royals, leading to a bidding war. Eventually, SRH secured the all-rounder for a significant sum of Rs 1.8 crore.
