When the VB Kanchi Veerans took on the Dindigul Dragons during the third season of the TNPL in 2018, there was a frail youngster who immediately made everyone sit up and notice.
On that night, R.S. Mokit Hariharan wrote himself into the league’s folklore with his bowling, without taking a wicket. After employing left-arm spin to Tamil Nadu batter N. Jagadeesan, the 18-year-old switched bowling hands and delivered right-arm off-spin to southpaw C. Hari Nishaanth.
To add to the frenzy, the young batter had scored a 50-ball 77, laced with five fours and five sixes, in the first innings of the match. Here was the poster boy the league was looking for.
Six years have passed since that day in Tirunelveli, and Mokit has played 35 games in the franchise tournament across his stints at five teams. But the 24-year-old has only 500-odd runs and a handful of wickets to his name. His knock during his maiden outing continues to be his highest score.
Ahead of the 2025 edition, Mokit was picked up by the Chepauk Super Gillies for INR 5.2 lakhs, and the southpaw provided immediate impact, scoring a 22-ball 46 to set up the chase for his side in its first game of the season. The 24-year-old, however, did not get to display his ambidextrous bowling ability on the day.
Mokit Hariharan of Chepauk Super Gillies in action against IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans in TNPL 2025.
| Photo Credit:
PERIASAMY M/The Hindu
Mokit Hariharan of Chepauk Super Gillies in action against IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans in TNPL 2025.
| Photo Credit:
PERIASAMY M/The Hindu
“I practised hard with the ball during the off-season ahead of the TNPL, but I suffered an injury to my wrist that is preventing me from bowling. I was very excited to bowl this year. Now, I am waiting to get fit and start bowling again,” Mokit told Sportstar on the sidelines of the competition.
Finger-spinning all-rounders like Mokit are often used in T20 cricket to create better matchups at the batting end. The inclusion of the Impact Player rule has also reduced the influence of these multi-skilled cricketers. But, Mokit suggests he is not the type who relies on match practice to keep up the rhythm.
“I never feel rusty, maybe only when I’m coming back from injury. Bowling is something I enjoy doing, and I don’t look at it from a results point of view,” the spinner explained. “Maybe if I feel like I need to play a match to get ready, I am the type who will go and play any local game.”
ALSO READ | Dindigul Dragons’ Shivam Singh continues his run-filled southern voyage
Despite catching the attention of the cricket fraternity in Tamil Nadu, Mokit has played just a solitary First-Class game for the state side and is yet to make his white-ball debut. But the all-rounder doesn’t count the current season as ‘make-or-break’.
“I got the call-up because I did well in the U23s. I do feel bad that I didn’t utilise the opportunity. But, I always think if not today, there will be a chance tomorrow,” Mokit said.
“We can only put in effort and follow the process, but we can’t solely look at the results. Results are for understanding where we went wrong, but we cannot dwell on that and take up unnecessary pressure,” he added.
With complete role clarity while opening the innings and with the comfort of having state veterans B. Aparajith, Vijay Shankar and Jagadeesan below him in the batting order, this might be the year Mokit finally tees off and breaks down the door to state selection.
