Former Indian fast bowler Dodda Ganesh has slammed Royal Challengers Bengaluru for not utilizing the services of Manoj Bhandage in the IPL in the last two seasons. RCB had signed Bhandage for INR 20 lacs at the IPL 2023 auction but the all-rounder warmed the bench for two consecutive seasons. 

Meanwhile, Bhandage has scored 100 runs in two matches of the ongoing Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2024 while playing for Mysore Warriors at a blistering strike rate of 204.08. 

Bhandage scored a quickfire knock of 58 runs off just 33 balls against Bengaluru Blasters at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Friday. Rahul Dravid’s son Samit Dravid scored a run-a-ball seven in the same match.

“I’ve been harping about him for 2 seasons now. But the @RCBTweets benched him for 2 editions straight and didn’t give him a game. Not even as an impact substitute. Manoj Bhandage is one of the clean strikers of the cricket ball. Hope some franchise gives him the opportunity,” Dodda Ganesh wrote on X, previously Twitter.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old left-hander recently admitted that he learned a lot in the IPL despite not getting any game time for RCB.

“In a tournament like the IPL, you get to learn something new everyday, even when you’re not playing. It can be anything — it can be about your technique, it can be about yourself. It’s not easy to stay away from your family, step out of your comfort zone and keep travelling everywhere. Especially when your team isn’t doing well, now, it’s time for me to implement all these learnings in the Maharaja Trophy,” Bhandage recently told Cricket.com.

Mysore Warriors will next take on Gulbarga Mystics at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Sunday.