After missing 2018 season, in-form Varun Aaron hopes for IPL comeback in 2019

Varun Aaron had emerged as one of India’s genuine fast bowlers in early 2010s but did not play for long before losing out in the crowd of quicks that came in the subsequent years to man the berths in the national side. Besides the lack of opportunity to appear for India on the international stage, the 29-year-old Jharkhand player has also expressed his surprise of not being picked up by an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise over the years.

Aaron played in the IPL between 2011 and 2017, picking up 38 wickets in 42 matches he appeared in for various franchises and averaged 32.07. He, however, found not a single franchise bidding for his name in 2018 and would be hoping that destiny has a fair plan for him for 2019. The auction for the twelfth edition of the tournament will be held in Jaipur on Tuesday. Aaron last played for Kings XI Punjab in 2017 and has appeared for four franchises in all in the glitzy cricket carnival.

Aaron has picked 23 wickets in five Ranji games

“To be honest with you, not finding an IPL team was more about surprise than a disappointment. But we all must move ahead and I decided to go and play county cricket. I will say I was surprised because I had a good season with Kings XI Punjab in 2017. Just before the auction, I had a game against Punjab — live on television — and the ball was coming out really well, including the knuckle-ball and I was a bit surprised with the turn of events.

At the same time, I had the option of either sitting and brooding or playing county cricket. So, the move wasn’t hard mentally,” Hindustan Times quoted Aaron as saying. Aaron plays regularly for his home state Jharkhand and has done well in the domestic circuit this season. He picked 18 wickets in eight matches in Vijay Hazare Trophy besides taking two wickets in Deodhar Trophy.

In the five Ranji Trophy games that Aaron has played after that, he has picked 23 wickets with the best of 6 for 32 against Haryana. If domestic form is the yardstick to go by, Aaron shouldn’t be expecting too much if he is looking for an IPL team to appear for in 2019.

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