It came as a surprise for Sanghvi. Last season, though he was part of the squad, he was not given a chance to play in any of the matches. Disgruntled, he had even contemplated retirement. The chairman of the selection committee Atul Wassan even went on record saying Sanghvi was asked to quit.

But on New Year’s Eve, Delhi fell back on the old warhorse. According to a team source, skipper Gautam Gambhir convinced Sanghvi to be part of the team.

As coach Vijay Dahiya puts it, the presence of Sanghvi will come in handy in their crucial semi-final encounter against Baroda at Indore.

“Rahul is a very experienced player and that will definitely come handy. This entire season we were without a left-arm spinner and we thought why not give him a call for this crucial encounter. We have got an opportunity to be the best domestic team in the country and Rahul will be of a great help,” Dahiya said.

He added: “When we play Baroda we have a left arm spinner and a leg-break bowler in Chetanya Nanda. Our team has the right balance of experience and youth. It’s not just Rahul, but all the 15 players who will play a major role.”