Patna: Bihar Ranji cricket captain Ashutosh Aman, a 32-year-old slow left-arm orthodox spinner has become the highest wicket taker in a single season of Ranji trophy. He created history by surpassing a 44-year-old record of former India captain and legendary left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi.
Aman eclipsed Bedi’s record when he trapped Manipur’s Sagatpam Singh lbw for his 65th wicket.
In 1974-75, Bedi took 64 wickets at an average of 8.53. Ashutosh Aman ended up with 7/71 against Manipur in the second innings to end the season with 68 wickets from 14 innings at an average of 6.48. In December 2018, he became the first bowler to take 50 wickets in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy tournament. In the fourth round match against Sikkim, he took five wickets in each innings, with Bihar winning their first match of the tournament, by 395 runs.
He has also contributed with the bat, scoring 89 in a comprehensive victory over Sikkim, and 111 his first first-class century in an innings imposing a defeat on Mizoram.
Hailing from Bihar’s Gaya, Aman started playing cricket as a teenager for his district. And within three years, he had made his way to Delhi further with his cricketing ambitions. He joined the Indian Air Force’s accounts department under the sports-quota scheme and began playing for Services. Ashutosh considers himself as a simple man, living with three-year-old daughter and wife in the Air Force quarters in New Delhi.
Aman made his List A debut in November 2014. Aman then played three more 50-over games for Services in the 2017-18 season before returning to his home state after Bihar and eight other new teams were inducted to play the BCCI-affiliated tournaments.
Aman’s hard work and passion reflected well at the district level game when he was drafted into the Bihar squad for the 2018-19 Vijay Hazare Trophy. They remained unbeaten in the group stage before falling to Mumbai in the quarterfinals. Aman with an economy of mere 2.10 claimed 14 wickets in eight matches, which paved his path for the ticket for Ranji Trophy.
