Bhalessa Sports man: Mithun Manhas put Bhalessa on driver´s seat

By Sadaket Malik

Mithun Manhas is a 28-year-old cricket player from Bhalessa Village of Jammu in India. An experienced player at India´s domestic level, has put his village on drivers seat as the local youth got inspired owing to his presence in national repute.

Manhas has been part of the Delhi Ranji team since the 1997-98 season. He was also part of the Delhi Daredevils Twenty20 team during the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League.

A wicketkeeper-batsman, Manhas has a brilliant batting average of 51.6 in the List A level and 43.3 in the First-Class level. He also holds the distinction of having scored a First-Class double-century – an unbeaten 205. With over 8,000 runs under his belt, including 19 tons and 47 half-centuries, Mithun Manhas has been one of Delhi´s prolific run-getters.

Manhas has also performed admirably behind the wickets, with a total of 117 dismissals to his name. Manhas was also a surprise inclusion in the Challenger Trophy in 2006, after veteran batsman VVS Laxman was forced to pull out of the four-match series due to hamstring injury just before the first game.Mithun Manhas´ consistent batting and useful keeping have made him an ideal candidate for Twenty20 cricket. He made his T20 debut for Delhi against Himachal Pradesh in April 2007. Manhas´ talents were later recognized by the Delhi Daredevils T20 team, who drafted him into their squad for the opening season of the Indian Premier League, a Twenty20 league started by the Indian cricket board, consisting of the world´s top players in teams from eight different Indian cities. Having played only six T20 matches, 30 remains Manhas´ highest score. He has even tried his hand at bowling in T20, picking up three wickets in a game.Mithun Manhas (born 12 October 1979 in Jammu, India) is an Indian first-class cricketer who plays for Delhi as an allrounder. A right handed batsman, he also bowls right-arm offbreak and can keep wicket. He is also a player in the Indian Premier League representing Delhi Daredevils.