I grew up in and around Indore so complaints about unruly traffic might seem a bit rich coming from me, but holy smokes, Dehradun is a different kettle of fish altogether. The roads leading up to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium are full of potholes – God bless my lower back – and yet the crumbling tarmac does not faze the adventurous spirit of the drivers, who share a short fuse. I become an eye witness to inevitable quarrels during the bumpy ride back and forth to work, hoping the repercussions of the massive influx of Delhiites do not show up then and there.
Somehow, I manage to reach the venue in one piece only for rain to wash out games in Uttarakhand Premier League. Yet, in between the side mirror bumps and drainage overflows, I’ve caught a sneak peek of the talent this naturally endowed hill state has to offer. While Janmejay Joshi’s away-seamer gave me the chills, Dikshanshu Negi crafted a sublime hundred on a pitch where the ball was turning square after Rishikesh River Kings were reduced to 11/2. With six seasons of franchise cricket in Karnataka under his belt, the Haldwani-born dasher was a sponge tailor-made for that situation.
“We were already under pressure when I walked in. I had an internal dialogue that I’ll only attack the balls in my range and won’t bother with manufactured shots,” Dikshanshu said upon helping his team to 185/5 through calculated risk-taking. Take, for instance, the brawny six down the ground versus Abhishek Singh or the flat pull against Nishu Patel. These were unforced errors from the spinners, with the length either being too short or too full, and Dikshanshu was all over the freebies like a rash.
At the death he knew opposition captain Kunal Chandela had to get an over out of Sumit Juyal, who was expensive to begin with. A rich harvest of 30 runs courtesy of four maximums was the perfect stamp of approval for Dikshanshu’s tactical judgement. In an event serving as an antidote to the high-scoring nature of state-sponsored T20 tournaments, such a loot tilts the scales too far in one direction. Right on brand, Dehradun Warriors folded for 129 in the aftermath of Chandela’s early dismissal.
To back up his century Dikshanshu proceeded to score 26 for 8 in a severely shortened contest opposite Tehri Titans. His headstart in a bowler-friendly UPL begs the question about his position in the Uttarakhand batting order. In the previous Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy his role was confined to the slog overs, and rightfully so, he feels there is more to him than pinch-hitting cameos. “I’d requested my skipper today for a promotion so that I have enough time to make an impact. He backed my instincts and elevated me to number four. If I can extend this vein of form, I’m hoping that I’ll get to contribute more in the state setup as well,” Dikshanshu felt.
Even though Juyal’s profligacy bookended the innings, his senior Devendra Bora was too hot to handle. The victims of his bouncer include the undisputed king of the pull shot, Rohit Sharma, so no prizes for guessing that the mere mortals in UPL waved a white handkerchief. Albeit Dikshanshu, the journeyman that he is, knew a thing or two about dealing with raw pace. Memories of Shreyas Iyer guiding Jasprit Bumrah’s pinpoint yorker down to third man for a cheeky boundary came alive as Bora met the same fate. In the last 24 balls, Rishikesh River Kings pilfered 62 runs at the cost of a single wicket.
“I follow three main principles while batting – adjustment, adaptability, and awareness. I’d like to urge our batting unit to drill these basic tenets into their mentality,” opined Dikshanshu, the lone ranger for Rishikesh River Kings given the next best score was 31 off 26 balls by finisher Akhil Rawat. His hundred was the kind of knock that finds an honorable mention in the talent scouts’ diary, since the franchises place as much emphasis on shows of character as runs or wickets per se. The dustbowl in Dehradun swallowed even the finest batter in Uttarakhand’s circuit, for Kunal paddle-swept Jitender Pal prematurely, but in the face of conditional adversity Dikshanshu was an oasis of calm, much like the mountains that cancel out the growing hustle and bustle in this region.
“I spent my formative years playing cricket in Haldwani but since the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand was not affiliated with the BCCI, I moved to Karnataka in search of greener pastures. There I represented Bijapur Bulls and Hubli Tigers in KPL,” Dikshanshu recalls. “Once Uttarakhand became a first-class team in 2018-19, I promptly returned to my hometown.”
In 35 trips to the crease in the first-class arena, Dikshanshu has gathered 897 runs thanks to 8 half-centuries. His aggregate of 820 in 30 List A innings means an average of 37.27. In the slam-bang format, he’s faced a mere 13.4 deliveries per outing because of the explosive energy Uttarakhand possess upfront. “Uttarakhand Premier League is broadcasted live, hence it offers an excellent opportunity for not only the youngsters but senior players like me as well to put ourselves on the selection radar. I want to sustain the momentum and leave an impression big enough to get noticed,” Dikshanshu aspired.
He doesn’t need to look any further than his own dressing room in UPL for inspiration as Rishikesh River Kings lynchpin Akash Madhwal is the poster boy of Uttarakhand cricket when it comes to IPL gigs. Having served as the state’s white-ball captain before Chandela’s leadership was extended to all formats, Madhwal bagged a record haul of 5/5 for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2023 eliminator versus Lucknow Super Giants. Bought by Rajasthan Royals for 1.2 crores during the IPL mega auction in November 2024 and signed by Chennai Super Kings as replacement for Aayush Mhatre midway through IPL 2026, Madhwal continues to be a penny pincher, with his spell of 2/23 key to a net-run-rate jump obtained via the conquest over Dehradun Warriors.
