Now and then, Mumbai writes a story that feels almost unreal. One that begins in a quiet flat in Andheri East and finds its way under the brightest lights of the Wankhede. 

Atharva Ankolekar’s journey has been about belief, sacrifice and a family that chose dreams over comfort. At just 19, ambitions were never small.

Cricket, after all, ran in the family. His father, Vinod Ankolekar, turned out for the Jolly Cricketers in Mumbai’s famed Kanga League while working with the electricity division of BEST. He nicknamed his son “Bandya” after Gol Bandya, the star of the BEST cricket team.

And then he went all in. Night shifts at work, afternoons at practice and mornings at school shaped Atharva’s days around a single dream. From one trial to another, talent was evident but finances were always the hurdle. What never wavered was the belief that Atharva belonged on a cricket field.

That dream began to take form on the maidaans of Mumbai. School cricket. Club tournaments. Selection trials. Atharva’s all-round abilities soon stood out & performances in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy announced him on the national age-group stage. 

In 2019, he represented India B at the U-19 Challenger Trophy, earned a spot in Mumbai’s U-23 squad and then came the big call… India U-19, Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.

Atharva didn’t just play. He delivered. 3/36 against Pakistan & 4/16 against Afghanistan. 🔥

And then the final. Bangladesh. Pressure at its peak. Atharva Ankolekar rose higher with a fiver-for. Figures of 5 for 28. A title sealed. A Man-of-the-Match medal earned, a young Mumbaikar standing tallest when it mattered most.

Fate, it seemed, was already nudging him towards the Blue and Gold. In 2020, Atharva was part of the Mumbai Indians setup as a net bowler. He watched, learned and absorbed. The dream waited patiently.

Now, the wait is over. Mumbai’s own has been signed and sealed for IPL 2026. 👊

Life has a beautiful way of completing circles. Atharva Ankolekar’s journey is powered by grit, guided by sacrifice and driven by a city that never stops believing.

Welcome home, Bandya.

Paltan stands ready to cheer one of its own. 🤗💙