Rajesh Pawar is an Indian first-class cricketer who played as a left-arm orthodox spinner. He represented Mumbai in domestic cricket, where he was part of one of the strongest teams in the Indian first-class circuit during his playing years.
| Full name | Rajesh Pawar |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Role | Bowler |
| Bowling style | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| Domestic team | Mumbai |
| Format | First-class and List A cricket |
Pawar emerged through Mumbai's domestic cricket structure, which has historically been a major feeder for Indian cricket. As a left-arm spinner, he was part of a Mumbai bowling tradition that has produced numerous spin bowlers over the decades. His selection for Mumbai placed him in a side that has won the Ranji Trophy more times than any other team in Indian domestic cricket.
Pawar played in the Ranji Trophy, India's premier first-class domestic competition organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He also featured in limited-overs domestic competitions for Mumbai. His role in the side was that of a containing and wicket-taking spinner, often deployed alongside the team's seam attack on Indian pitches that traditionally assist slower bowlers.
As a slow left-arm orthodox bowler, Pawar relied on flight, line and turn rather than express pace, a style that suits the longer formats of the game on subcontinental surfaces.
Pawar is one of several spinners produced by the Mumbai Cricket Association during the late 1990s and 2000s. While he did not progress to the senior Indian national side, his domestic career contributed to Mumbai's continued dominance in Indian first-class cricket.