Dhawal Kulkarni appointed Mumbai team’s mentor for 2024-25 season

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has appointed former Indian bowler and Mumbai bowling mainstay Dhawal Kulkarni as the bowling mentor for the Mumbai senior domestic cricket team. The appointment will be in force for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

Apart from the appointment of Kulkarni, the MCA’s apex council also decided to felicitate Sunil Gavaskar on his 75th birthday. The MCA will also release a stamp and a coffee table book on the occasion of the Wankhede Stadium completing 50 years of existence this year.

Kulkarni had led the Mumbai bowling attack for many years and has also played 12 ODIs and two T20Is for India. He retired on a high after guiding Mumbai to their record-extending 42nd Ranji Trophy win last year.

The 35-year-old played 96 first-class games and took 285 wickets, while in List A games, he has 223 wickets in 130 matches and an impressive 154 wickets in 162 T20 matches.

MCA secretary Ajinkya Naik divulged the apex council meeting’s decisions to media. “We have appointed Dhawal Kulkarni as the bowling mentor for the upcoming season. Additionally, Amol Kale (the president) has proposed and the Apex Council unanimously approved to honour Sunil Gavaskar on his 75th birthday,” Naik said.

Kulkarni did hint about taking up a coaching role many times in the past, saying this is a great opportunity for him to give something back to the game. “I have not thought about it much but cricket has given me so much that I want to give it back to the game, whether it be coaching or whatever role that I get. So everything I do in the future, it will be around cricket,” Kulkarni said after Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy win at the Wankhede Stadium.

The Mumbai bowler recently concluded his latest assignment as a commentator in the Indian Premier League.