On the back of a few eye-catching performances in the previous season of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, young all-rounder Atharva Ankolekar became the most expensive auction buy in the T20 Mumbai League auction on May 8, 2025. Eagle Thane Strikers roped him in for a whopping 16.25 lakh for the high-octane event.
It was a huge disappointment for a bloke like Atharva after he went unsold in the IPL mega auction last November. The journey to become the most expensive player in the local league was not easy for Mumbai’s left-arm spinner. The young, dynamic all-rounder sat down with CricXtasy to chat about his topsy-turvy road to success.
“It feels good as I never thought I would end up becoming the most expensive player in the league, citing the fact that there were many players who played in the IPL. My aim is to win the title this year”, Atharva said.
His mother had a different glow on her face after Atharva grabbed a huge money in the auction. He always wanted to give his family a luxurious life, and this auction came out as a stepping stone for the young lad. His younger brother Parth Ankolekar also earned his first-ever contract in the league.
“My mother was elated when I became the expensive player in the auction. I was sitting with the mother only, and she smiled once the auction got over. My brother also got selected, so she could not control her happiness”, he said.
Atharva’s mother, Vaidehi, is a bus conductor and is the only breadwinner after her husband’s death.
“My mother is a bus conductor, and after my father’s death, she single-handedly took care of the family. My father used to work in the night shift just to be with me during the daytime for my cricket practice. Time has come for me to give them a healthy life, it’s pay off time”, the Mumbai-based player added.
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Talking about the ongoing T20 Mumbai League 2025, Atharva was handed over the captaincy duties in the absence of Shardul Thakur, as he is in England for the upcoming Test series. Under the leadership of the 24-year-old lad, Eagle Thane Strikers have made their way to the semifinals, winning three out of four games. Atharva’s team outplayed the sides led by Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav.
“See, when everybody plays their part, leading the team becomes very easy. The credit goes to the entire team, as this is a collective effort. This league is very important as the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, and Prithvi Shaw are also playing. Seeing such big stars gracing the field gives me motivation. You get to learn a lot of things from them. This league is a stepping stone for the IPL also. I got a chance to speak to Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav, and they told me to keep up the great work. They asked me to keep individual milestones aside and focus on the team. Always strive for your team’s excellence”, Atharva told CricXtasy.
When asked about his IPL dreams, the left-arm spinner said that he is taking one thing at a time. His aim is to win the league for his team, and the rest of the things will happen eventually.
Atharva Ankolekar was a part of the Indian U-19 team that had the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, and Dhruv Jurel. These players are now playing for the senior side. After witnessing this, the young player looks forward to sharing the dressing room with them.
As of now, Atharva has smashed a few centuries and bagged a decent number of wickets in the CK Nayudu Trophy, yet he has only managed to play just two First-Class matches.
Atharva’s favourite player is India’s stalwart all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Though he never got a chance to meet him but he is hopeful that one day he will get there.
“I am working hard to don the Blue jersey and hopefully I will get there very soon”, he signed off.
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