Akhil Herwadkar - Inconspicuous performer, and a vital cog in a strong line-up

How many players who score 879 runs in a Ranji season and help their side win the title go unnoticed and less talked about? It was that kind of a season in 2015-16 for Akhil Herwadkar, the Mumbai opener, who scored those many runs, bowled a match-winning spell of 6 for 52 against Punjab, and bagged a few more wickets.

Not that he was any bad. His efforts had simply been overshadowed big time by Shreyas Iyer, who butchered several bowling attacks into submission, turned many a match on its head in a matter of a session. In the excitement to see Iyer back on strike, Herwadkar's graft became a sideshow. Holding the innings tight, he played the anchor to his more flashy teammate's spotlight performances.

Ironically, from the batch of Iyer, Herwadkar and Siddhesh Lad, it was the southpaw who was talked about highly in Mumbai's local cricket circuit. Having moved to Mumbai from Sangli at the age of 11, he was drafted into the Ranji side at 17. It is quite an achievement given that several players over the years with far more runs across age-groups haven't been able to breakthrough as easily in the Mumbai side. There had to be something special about him.

He became part of two India Under-19 World Cup campaigns - in 2012 and 2014 - and played the role of an aggressor in both. Having been a free-flowing strokemaker in age-group cricket, he had to play the role of a grafter to compliment the likes of Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav, who would follow him in the line-up. With another flashy player - Jay Bista - coming into the side a year later to partner him at the top, his role became all the more crucial. Nonetheless, he has evolved in that role very well.

After making his debut in 2011, he was out of the team for two years before becoming a regular in the 2014-15 season. His performances were quite ordinary in that season, but he adjusted to the requirements rapidly.

After playing the role of the anchor last year, he has become a grafter this season. He doesn't simply stonewall. He keeps collecting singles and rotating the strike. While his game may not have too many risks, he ensures the scoreboard is moving at a fair pace.

"He is growing into a solid opener," Aditya Tare, Mumbai captain, said after Herwadkar batted through the day on Saturday (October 22) and remained unbeaten on 136. "He is growing in that role very well. A few mistakes he used to make a couple of years back, he has worked on those and he is shaping up to be a terrific batsman for us for years to come."

His performance at the domestic level was rewarded with a call-up to the India A side for the Australia A tour earlier this year. He didn't have a good first game, like most others in the side, but scored a fine unbeaten 82 after India A had conceded a 266-run first-innings lead in the second unofficial Test. Given that everyone else in the top order had failed, his knock along with a rainy final day helped India A escape with a draw.

However, the result of his development can be seen in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season. It started off with innings of 17 and 6 against Tamil Nadu in Lahli. The scores might seem low, but it was that kind of pitch which ensured that the average score of all batsmen dismissed was less than 15.

In the second match, when Mumbai's top order crumbled and was reduced to 104 for 5 in reply to Baroda's 305, it was Herwadkar, who combined with Balwinder Singh Sandhu - a player still not any better to shed off the tag of a tailender - to score his fifth first-class century, and help the side gain a slender lead.

He followed up on that knock with yet another century against Madhya Pradesh in Raipur. It may not have been the most difficult condition to bat on, but given that the pitch was slow, scoring runs became a little difficult. And with Mumbai at 123 for 4 in reply to Madhya Pradesh's 445, it needed a disciplined performance. Herwadkar did just that. While not playing outlandish strokes, he ensured that the scoreboard didn't remain stagnant for long.

His patience and high concentration level has helped him become a crucial member of the team. He has been assigned a critical role in the side, and he has lived upto his responsibility brilliantly so far. He has grown into a reliable and consistent performer for Mumbai. Hailing his perseverance, Tare said, "Even if the conditions weren't favourable for the bowlers, it takes quite something to bat through an entire day when runs aren't coming as freely. It was a superb knock for Akhil."

As the veteran of them all Devendra Bundela notes about Herwadkar, "He is a really good player. He has been performing well for quite some time. Surely seems like a long-term prospect for India."

Slowly, and just like his batting, almost inconspicuously, he is making a strong case for himself for the national berth. Yes, there are four openers already to work around with - Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and Gautam Gambhir. But wouldn't it be an ideal time to invest on Herwadkar instead of the Delhi captain. If form is indeed the criteria, yes, Gambhir is going along well. But the Mumbai opener is quite ahead in the race on that count. And since it is the matter of the fourth opener's slot, wouldn't it help to have someone younger - with a 13-year age advantage to work on?