Who is Ramakrishna Ghosh? Maharashtra pacer turning heads in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 with pace, and breakthrough performances.
If one has kept an eye on the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025-26, they know Maharashtra’s Ramakrishna Ghosh has etched his name into the history book. With a clinical and trending bowling performance of 7-42 against Himachal Pradesh, Ramakrishna dismantled the opposition’s batting. He set the tone by tearing through Himachal’s top order at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.
What stands out about the 28-year-old is that this was no flash in the pan. He has been knocking on the selectors’ door throughout the season, beginning the current Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign with successive three-wicket hauls. The seven-wicket performance felt less like an outlier and more like the natural culmination of a bowler who has steadily found his rhythm and confidence.
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Ramakrishna Ghosh’s disciplined life in father’s encouragement for cricket
Ramakrishna Ghosh, born in 1997, has quickly become a promising name to watch in Indian cricket. His dual role of batting in the lower order and bowling with his right arm has made him a valuable all-rounder for his team. Growing up in Nashik, he had a passion for the game from a young age.
Meanwhile, Ramakrishna trained rigorously and featured at the district and state levels before earning his maiden opportunity in professional cricket. His work ethic, disciplined training, and dedication helped him rise through the ranks.
The all-rounder hails from a deeply supportive family, with his father, Shekhar Ghosh, playing a pivotal role in nurturing Ramakrishna’s cricketing journey. As a bowling all-rounder, he adds valuable versatility to the side, using seam movement and disciplined lines effectively with the new ball. With the bat, he offers balance – capable of anchoring an innings when required and accelerating seamlessly to change momentum.
Interestingly, he was part of Marathwada Mitra Mandal College of Commerce (MMCC), Pune, during the Red Bull Campus Cricket Tournament in 2018. He impressed with a standout all-round performance at the world’s premier T20 competition for college cricketers. MMCC finished runners-up at the World Final in Sri Lanka, narrowly missing the title despite posting an imposing 211-2 against Business Management School (BMS).
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Smart work and focus on consistency- Ramakrishna Ghosh’s MS Dhoni connection
Ramakrishna was acquired by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for his base price of INR 30 lakh during the IPL 2025 auction. That happened on the back of his recent campaign in the Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) 2025. He picked up eight wickets in 10 innings at an economy rate of eight.
Even though he hasn’t featured in a single IPL game for CSK, he has shared space with several legends and learnt from their mindset. The youngster reflected on his unforgettable experience of meeting MS Dhoni for the very first time in a practice session.
“It feels amazing to be in Chennai it’s like a second home. I have wonderful memories from last season. I never imagined CSK would pick me. It was a dream come true. The first time I saw Mahi bhai, I was completely speechless. I just stood there, frozen his presence, his aura it was unreal.” Ramakrishna said to ‘The Hindu’ during the Buchi Babu Tournament last year.
He recalled the former World Cup-winning captain’s advice that stuck with him. Moreover, he credited Dhoni’s emotional balance, which left a deeper impact on him.
“After one session, Mahi bhai told me not to overwork, but to work smart and focus on consistency. That has stayed with me. What I’ve learned seeing Mahi bhai is the importance of staying balanced — don’t get carried away when things go well, and don’t sink too low when they don’t.” Ramakrishna highlighted in that interaction.
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Ramakrishna Ghosh eyes continuous success as bowling all-rounder
Ramakrishna’s 7-42 was legendary against Himachal Pradesh in the VHT 2025-26. However, he will still get a tiny bit of climbing to do to reach the absolute peak. Only two bowlers have ever managed eight wickets in a VHT game. Those are Himachal’s Arpit Guleria (8-50) against Gujarat in 2023 and Shahbaz Nadeem (8-10) against Rajasthan in 2018.
Still, being the 11th on the list of the best bowling figures in the history of India’s 50-over domestic competition is a jaw-dropping achievement. Ramakrishna’s 7-42 became Maharashtra’s best bowling figures in VHT, overtaking Domnic Muthuswami’s 6-25 in 2014 against Mumbai.
In the ongoing 2025-26 season, the 28-year-old is currently the joint third leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps. He achieved the feat in six innings at an average of 14.62 and an economy rate of 5.48. Apart from the sixth round against Chhattisgarh, he has opened his wicket column against every single opposition he faced during this event.
Along with his bowling, he has been equally excellent with the bat. Coming to bat at number five, the right-handed batter smashed an unbeaten knock of 64 runs in just 27 balls against Mumbai. It was decorated with three fours and five sixes at a blistering strike rate of 237.03. Even in the opening round against Punjab, he notched up 73 runs at a run-a-ball with five boundaries and three sixes.
Now, it’s only about continuing the good work for an extended period. India have used Harshit Rana for the same contribution in the ODIs. But in Ramakrishna’s case, his batting is a bonus. He could get a look at the national side or even in the India-A side if he keeps getting better and continues to earn success.
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