Ranji Trophy 2024: Following back-to-back hat tricks, Deepak Dhapola talks candidly about his IPL hopes

The Ranji Trophy 2024 has seen Uttarakhand fast bowler Deepak Dhapola garner attention from the cricket community after his consecutive hat tricks. In the second inning of Uttarakhand’s third match against Puducherry, the 33-year-old scored his first.

In the following match, the right-arm pacer once again claimed his second hat-trick against Delhi, this time taking wickets from Arpit Rana, Yash Dhull, and Kshitiz Sharma for ducks in the second innings. But despite his two strong performances, his team was unable to win as Uttarakhand lost consecutive games.

I.C.Y.M.I

Arpit Rana
Yash Dhull
Kshitiz Sharma

Re-live Uttarakhand pacer Deepak Dhapola’s fantastic Hat-Trick against Delhi in Mohali, in @IDFCFIRSTBank #RanjiTrophy pic.twitter.com/9HNY1JfrwJ

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 28, 2024

He is now ranked fourth on the points table with 23 wickets from seven innings at an economy of 2.78 and an average of 12.95, thanks to his outstanding bowling efforts. Notably, Rajkumar Sharma, the childhood coach of Virat Kohli, guided Dhapola when he started his professional cricket career. But he made the decision to move to Calcutta after spending so much time on the Delhi standby list.

Under him (Rajkumar), I began playing professional cricket. I spent almost ten or twelve years playing cricket in Delhi. I performed as a stand-in and briefly performed in Calcutta. I was taking wickets, but I was never given the opportunity (for the state teams). To go to Uttarakhand was my decision. I have been taking wickets (frequently) by God’s grace and hard work, Deepak was cited by News18.

Speaking further about his aspirations to play in the IPL, Deepak Dhapola stated that for now, his main goal is to play well in cricket.

It will occur if God has it in mind for me: Deepak Dhapola

“You see, all I have been thinking about is getting better at cricket, and if God has that planned for me, it will happen. I’m competing with myself every day to grow better. I’m quite confident in myself. Coaches’ and teammates’ faith is helpful. He continued, You become even more driven to work on them when others have expectations of you.

Prior to this, Dhapola received commendation from BCCI Secretary Jay Shah for his outstanding 8/35 in the Ranji Trophy 2022 match against Himachal Pradesh.

#RanjiTrophy has time and again helped bring out raw homegrown talent onto the forefront. This time it’s @CricketCau ‘s Deepak Dhapola! His 8/35 against @himachalcricket is one of the finest bowling performances of the tournament. Long way to go! @BCCIdomestic

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) December 27, 2022