Mon Jan 27 00:06:43 IST 2025: ## Tripura’s Mandeep Singh Finds New Life After Punjab Exit, Blasts Century

**Agartala, [Date]** – Mandeep Singh, the 33-year-old cricketer, has reignited his career after a challenging period that saw him dropped by his home state, Punjab. Singh smashed an unbeaten 124 in Tripura’s Ranji Trophy match against Services on Sunday, his 16th first-class century and a first for his adopted state. While the match ended in a draw, the innings represents a powerful comeback for the former India T20I player.

Singh’s journey has been marked by setbacks. After a three-match T20I career for India nine years ago, he was dropped by the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) last year, forcing him to move to Tripura. He has also been without an IPL contract for two years and witnessed many of his contemporaries opt for early retirement to play in lucrative leagues for retired players.

Inspired by the success of his former U-19 teammates, Karun Nair and Mayank Agarwal, Singh vowed to continue his career. His century against Services, he says, is his most satisfying yet. He currently boasts an impressive average of 101.75 in this Ranji Trophy season, accumulating 407 runs in seven matches and nine innings. His strong form extends to the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he was the highest run-scorer among batters batting at positions 4-6.

Singh openly attributes the early retirements of many domestic players to the lack of IPL contracts, suggesting that the tournament’s absence effectively ends many careers. He notes that retired players can easily earn substantial sums in shorter leagues, a factor contributing to the early exits of some of his peers.

A motivational video by Paddy Upton and a past conversation with former RCB teammate AB de Villiers helped Singh overcome his doubts. He now feels he’s in peak form, capable of competing with much younger players.

Singh also criticized the PCA’s decision to exclude him from the team, citing his successful captaincy in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy victory and subsequent omission from the Namibia pre-season camp as particularly disappointing. He believes the Indian cricketing system often overlooks well-performing players over 30 and urges the BCCI to offer more opportunities to experienced, high-performing domestic cricketers. He expressed hope for a future call-up to India A.

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