PANAJI
Goa’s prolific run scorer in domestic cricket Snehal Kauthankar was one of the top performers for Goa during last Ranji season. He was Goa’s top scorer during 2024-25 season with 684 runs which included his classic knocks of 314 not out against Arunachal Pradesh (highest individual score by a Goan batsman in first class cricket) and 250 against Mizoram.
In fact, Kauthankar and Kashyap Bakhale were involved in highest partnership in Ranji Trophy with their unbroken 606 runs stand against Arunachal Pradesh.
Currently, Snehal is in United Kingdom playing county cricket. This is his first season playing premiere division cricket in the UK.
“Following a successful 2024–25 BCCI domestic season for me personally and the Goa Ranji team which earned promotion to the elite group, I’m thrilled to have got the opportunity to play England and Wales Cricket Board Premier Division Cricket in the United Kingdom this summer. Having the opportunity to explore and challenge my skills in a new setting made me take up Premier division county cricket in UK, ” said Snehal.
“With the Indian domestic cricket being off-season during monsoons, staying active in competitive cricket overseas will help me maintain form and stay sharp. I aim to return in September for the pre-season camp well-prepared and in rhythm. My focus remains on contributing consistently to Goa’s continued success and further developing my skills for the upcoming season.”
According to Kauthankar, the conditions in the United Kingdon are quite different and challenging compared to Indian pitches.
“The environment here is different and I see this as a valuable chance to refine my game. That will definitely help me to strengthen on my techniques against fast bowlers, as the ball swings and seams a lot here. So working on this will help me shape my game in domestic cricket. I am grateful to Goa Cricket Association for giving me this opportunity to play this league in UK. I hope to use my sharpened skills to help Goa Ranji Team to excel,” said Kauthankar.
Snehal is currently getting accustomed to the pitch conditions and environment in the UK. He has played a couple of league matches so far and his highest score currently is 82 not amongst the three formats.
Kauthankar praised the Goa Ranji coach Dinesh Mongia under whose guidance Goa qualified in Elite group for upcoming Ranji season.
“Dinesh Sir has been a strong support for our team since day 1. The way he motivates us with the experiences that he has been through, really pushed me and the team to work hard. His warm nature and ability to stay calm throughout challenging situations is what makes him stand out from the rest. I am looking forward to another fruitful season under his guidance.,” said Kauthankar.
Sachin Tendulkar has been a role model for Snehal. He said, “Having grown up watching how passionate Sachin Sir is towards cricket and the skills that he showcased, he was my pillar of inspiration to take on this game and give it my best shot.”
With Goa having qualified for Elite group for the upcoming Ranji season, things will get a bit tough as Goa will have to face tougher opposition compared to teams in Plate division.
However, Snehal is aware of the challenges ahead and is quite optimistic about the team’s performance.
“Goa Ranji Team has spectacular players and support staff. We all work towards one goal which is to win. Challenges come in different forms during matches, what is important is that we must be prepared for every situation and have a winning mentality. I hope to maintain the same form as during last season and in fact perform even better this year now that we are in the elite group,” said Snehal.
