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Who Is Siddharth Desai? Gujarat's Spin Sensation Who Took 9 Wickets Vs Uttarakhand

Jatin

Who is Siddharth Desai? [Source: @ivyaskaushal/x.com]Who is Siddharth Desai? [Source: @ivyaskaushal/x.com]

If you’re a cricket fan, chances are the name Siddharth Desai is going to be on your lips for a long time. The young slow left-arm orthodox spinner from Gujarat made heads turn and jaws drop with an unreal performance which saw him grab nine wicket in the ongoing Ranji Trophy clash against Uttarakhand in Ahmedabad.

Who Is Siddharth Desai?

Born on August 16, 2000, Siddharth Desai isn’t your average slow left-arm spinner. He announced himself on the domestic stage in style, making his first-class debut for Gujarat during the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy.

On debut, he ripped through the opposition’s batting line-up, grabbing his maiden five-wicket haul in the second innings. To add cherry to the cake, he bagged the Player of the Match award in his very first game.

Asia Cup Star In The Making

While some players take time to find their footing, Siddharth wasted no time. In October 2018, he was the leading wicket-taker in the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup as he snagged an astonishing 18 wickets in just five matches. He was tormenting batters for fun. That performance firmly put him on the radar as one of India’s most promising spinners.


If there’s one thing Desai has proven, it’s that he isn’t a one-season wonder. He was Gujarat’s top wicket-taker during the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy group stage, snaring 23 wickets in six matches. No wonder he earned a spot in India’s squad for the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in 2018 and 2019.

Breaking Records And Making History

Fast forward to the Ranji Trophy match against Uttarakhand, and Siddharth Desai produced a bowling masterclass for the ages. Taking 9 wickets for 36 runs in 15 overs, Desai spun a web that Uttarakhand’s batters couldn’t escape. 

His effort didn’t just win Gujarat the match, it smashed a long-standing record. He eclipsed Rakesh Vinubhai Dhurv’s 8-31, a record that had stood tall since 2012.

Desai had the batters hopping around like cats on a hot tin roof, and by the time he was done, Uttarakhand’s innings had folded for a paltry 111. The cherry on top? His figures now stand as the best in Gujarat’s cricketing history. 

While Desai’s feat is remarkable, it’s worth noting how rare such performances are. To put his nine-wicket haul into perspective, Haryana’s Anshul Kamboj became only the sixth Indian bowler to take all 10 wickets in a first-class innings last year.