Akshay Wadkar

After a successful stint in the Central Zone Under-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy, Akshay Wadkar was on a high. After all, he had done well against all the oppositions and shown the promise.

Wicketkeeper batsman Akshay Wadkar will lead a 20-member Vidarbha squad, which includes senior India pacer Umesh Yadav, in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, starting on November 4.

Attacking batsman Faiz Fazal will lead Vidarbha in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, the national ODI championship, while Akshay Wadkar will be his deputy.

A dogged fightback from Vidarbha, led by Karun Nair (74) and skipper Akshay Wadkar (56 not out), prolonged Mumbai's wait for a 42nd Ranji Trophy title as the visiting side reached 248/5 in pursuit of a mammoth 538 on the fourth and penultimate day of the final in Mumbai on Wednesday. Set an improbable target to win the summit clash after being outplayed since the first day afternoon, Vidarbha put up a resolute show with the bat to frustrate their hosts by resorting to stonewalling for the majority of the day.

It is a new season and a new beginning for Vidarbha, with a new skipper in their ranks. Wicketkeeper Akshay Wadkar has been named captain for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Tournament on Thursday.

Experienced opener Faiz Fazal will lead the Vidarbha team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy beginning February 20. Wicketkeeper-batsman Akshay Wadkar has been chosen as Faiz's deputy in the 22-member squad for the national 50-over championship.

Experienced batter Faiz Fazal will lead a strong 18-member Vidarbha squad for the Ranji Trophy beginning January 13.

Date: December 31, 2017; Venue: Holkar Stadium, Indore; Historical significance: First century for Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy Final; Milestone man: homegrown talent Akshay Wadkar.

Yash Rathod's unbeaten innings and partnership with Akshay Wadkar saved Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy semifinal against Madhya Pradesh. Their 158-run sixth wicket partnership, along with Karun Nair's contribution, helped Vidarbha end Day 3 with a 261-run lead. Anubhav Agarwal and Kumar Kartikeya took key wickets for Madhya Pradesh. Aman Mokhade, Dhruv Shorey, and Aditya Sarvate also played important roles.

Vidarbha sent Assam bowlers on a leather hunt on the second day of the Col CK Nayudu U-23 Trophy match at the VCA Jamtha ground on Tuesday.

Vidarbha came back with two wickets after being bowled out for 246 on the second day of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final match against Kerala on Friday.

Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy for the 42nd time, ending an eight-year drought. The team defeated Vidarbha by 169 runs in the final. It was Mumbai's 48th appearance in the summit clash in the tournament's history. Despite a target of 538 runs, Vidarbha delayed the outcome till the final day, riding on captain Akshay Wadkar and Harsh Dubey's valiant efforts.

Former champions Vidarbha open their Ranji Trophy campaign against the Services. The match will be played in the city from January 5-8. Vidarbha have been placed in Elite Group B.

The Vidarbha think-tank has gone back to the basics as they approach the most challenging domestic tournament — the Ranji Trophy. After having Akshay Wadkar as skipper in T20 and one-dayers, they continued with their most successful player — Faiz Fazal — as the skipper in the 4-day format.

Akshay Wadkar, the wicketkeeper-batter for Vidarbha, is the right man to guide the team in the Ranji Trophy final. Playing at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, Vidarbha faces the strong Mumbai line-up, including Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Ajinkya Rahane, and Prithvi Shaw. Umesh Yadav's presence adds a big plus.

In yet another big and surprising move, the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) management has decided to change the Ranji Trophy team captain in the middle of the season.

Vidarbha think-tank has brought in young leaders as they transit to a new era. They have handed over the reins of Vidarbha one-day team to their prominent middle-order batter Akshay Wadkar. The wicketkeeper Wadkar has replaced one of the domestic cricket's finest openers — Faiz Fazal — as skipper for the forthcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy starting from November 12.