Gurjapneet Singh of Tamil Nadu has emerged as the latest pace sensation in Indian cricket out of the TC.
The young 25-year-old cricketer born in Ambala took six wickets in Tamil Nadu’s Ranji Trophy triumph in the Elite Group D match against Saurashtra.
His show and performance by taking wickets of Indian veterans Cheteshwar Pujara and Sheldon Jackson have gained him much attention across the country.
In a recent interview, Gurjapneet also revealed a story of how he got the chance to bowl to Indian cricket maestro Virat Kohli in the nets and even got on the wrong side of the great batsman.
“Didn’t Dare to Look at Him Again”: Gurjapneet on Kohli
Gurjapneet played for India’s net bowlers during their Test series against Bangladesh and he even once starred with Kohli.
He got out the great batsman which at first made Kohli angry.
It might sound silly but once I got to knock him down, I glanced at him and could not again. Talking to The Indian Express, Gurjapneet added:
“He was very, very angry.” But Kohli’s anger was not with the young pacer but at himself.
The tension was soon eased after Kohli smiled in response to a straight drive hit, indicating his agreement.
What I learned later was that Kohli had more useful advice to give: ‘When there is no movement on the pitch, try changing your bowling angle,’
Gurjapneet. Kohli’s tip was useful during the Tamil Nadu match, especially with the help of which the young pacer planned well for the Saurashtra match.
The Dismissal of Cheteshwar Pujara: A Strategic Masterclass
Of his performance in the Ranji Trophy, Gurjapneet has a rich memory of when he once bowled out Cheteshwar Pujara, who is a well-known batsman.
He also told of how the plans for Pujara’s dismissal were well and carefully executed to the letter.
“When you bowl to a legendary batsman like him, you have to be accurate from the word go,” Gurjapneet said about Pujara.
Following the suggestion of Tamil Nadu bowling coach L Balaji, Gurjapneet planned to put Pujara on the back foot and get him to concentrate on a front-foot delivery.
The strategy worked, for he was able to find openings in Pujara’s defense, which is something that one can hardly achieve as a rising star.
Obviously, it has not been a cakewalk for Gurjapneet Singh from Ambala to Tamil Nadu.
However, his recent performances, including the match-making in the final of the Ranji trophy as well as bowling to some of India’s most promising cricket heroes, give many a glimpse of how the youngster could be an asset to the Indian cricket team in the future.
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References:
Freepressjounal.com
IndiaToday.com