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Former Tripura all-rounder Rajesh Banik, who represented India in the Under-19 World Cup, died in a road accident at Anandanagar in west Tripura, officials said on Saturday. Banik, aged 40, is survived by his father, mother and brother.His death on Friday has left the state’s cricket fraternity in shock. “This is very unfortunate that we have lost a talented cricketer and selector of the Under-16 cricket team. We are shocked. May his soul rest in peace,” Tripura Cricket Association (TCA) secretary Subarata Dey told reporters as quoted by PTI. Born on December 12, 1984, in Agartala, Banik made his Ranji Trophy debut for Tripura in the 2002–03 season. A right-hand batter and leg-break bowler, he went on to play 42 first-class matches, scoring 1,469 runs at an average of 19.32 with six half-centuries and a highest score of 93. He also featured in 24 List A games, where he made 378 runs, including an unbeaten century (101*), and played 18 T20 matches for the state. His final first-class appearance came against Odisha in Cuttack in November 2018. Banik later served as a selector for Tripura’s Under-16 team, continuing his association with the game after his playing days. Anirban Deb, secretary of the Tripura Sports Journalists’ Club, said Banik’s contribution went beyond his performances on the field. “He was one of the finest all-rounders the state has produced, but not many knew about his ability to identify young talent. That’s why he was made one of the selectors of the Under-16 state team,” Deb said. The Tripura Cricket Association paid tribute to the former cricketer at its headquarters on Saturday, remembering him as a dedicated player and mentor whose work had a lasting impact on the state’s cricketing setup.
