New Delhi: Barely six months after having hung his boots bidding farewell to his 18-year career in domestic cricket in Bengal, former Indian cricketer Laxmi Ratan today found a place as one of the 17 new faces in the 42-member ministry to be headed by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of West Bengal in Kolkata for the second consecutive term today.
Shukla’s switchover from cricket to politics has been remarkable.
The former cricketer made his debut in politics after being given a ticket by TMC from Howrah North. With 61,917 votes, Shukla defeated Congress candidate Santosh Pathak and the former TV actress and BJP candidate Rupa Ganguly.
Laxmi Ratan Shukla made his Ranji debut in the 1997-98 season against Maharashtra. He played 137 first-class matches in which he scored 6,217 runs that included nine centuries and 37 half centuries and also bagged 172 wickets. During the 2013-14 season, he became the first cricketer from Bengal to play 100 Ranji matches.
Shukla made his ODI debut at a tender age of 17 against Sri Lanka in 1998. However, he played just three matches for the international team.
His List-A career included 141 matches in which he scored 2,997 runs with four hundreds and 13 half-centuries and also claimed 143 wickets.
The 35-year-old Ranji all-rounder has also played for Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils in Indian Premier League. He played 47 IPL matches in which he scored 405 runs and grabbed 15 wickets.
