Rakesh Shukla (1948–2019) was an Indian first-class cricketer. A right-arm leg-break bowler and right-handed lower-order batsman, he was a long-serving member of the Delhi cricket side in the Ranji Trophy during the 1970s and 1980s, a period in which Delhi emerged as one of the leading teams in Indian domestic cricket.
| Full name | Rakesh Shukla |
|---|---|
| Born | 1948 |
| Died | 2019 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Role | Cricketer (leg-spin bowler) |
| Domestic team | Delhi |
| Format | First-class cricket |
Shukla was part of a generation of leg-spinners who continued to feature in Indian domestic cricket at a time when the format was dominated by spin. He played his cricket primarily for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, the country's premier first-class competition organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Shukla represented Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, contributing as a leg-break bowler. Delhi won multiple Ranji Trophy titles during his era, with a squad that featured several India internationals. Shukla also appeared in other domestic tournaments organised under the BCCI structure, including zonal competitions such as the Duleep Trophy played between regional sides.
Although Shukla did not play Test or One Day International cricket for India, his career is representative of the depth of talent in north Indian domestic cricket during the 1970s and 1980s. Leg-spinners of his type provided variety in attacks otherwise dominated by finger-spin and medium pace at the first-class level.