Every team wishes for a wrist spinner in their ranks for their ability to be effective on even flat pitches and give crucial breakthroughs, especially in shorter formats.
The recently concluded Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) saw the emergence of one such leg-spinner. Jhathavedh Subramanyan - playing his first season - ended up as the player of the match in the final (4/21), playing a crucial role in his side Lyca Kovai Kings clinching the title.
The 23-year-old Hong Kong-born cricketer moved to Chennai in 2021, having already played for the associate nation (in ICC World Cricket League Division Two).
READ | Redemption for Mukilesh, another crown for Shahrukh and a bright future for Tamil Nadu
“I think it is nice to come to a full-member nation where the opportunities are more and give it a go. I have done my studies (Masters in Banking Finance), so Plan B is sorted, and I can play fearlessly,” said Jhathavedh on his decision to move to India.
Before coming here, he played in the U.K., where he did his high school and university education, playing two First-Class matches for Durham Marylebone Cricket Club University (MCCU).
The youngster operates in the classical style of leg-spin bowling, with an angular run-up, relying on bowling slower through the air and deceiving the batter with flight and turn. An example of his ability was seen in the final when he breached R. Sonu Yadav’s defences with a googly that spun sharply into the right-hander. And a key person behind this is former India leg-spinner L. Sivaramakrishnan, under whom he has been training since 2016.
“I used to come for summer coaching from the U.K. with LS sir (Sivaramakrishnan), and he has played a key role in my growth. He has a very process-oriented approach with a big emphasis on the action, starting from the run-up. He and S. Ramakrishnan (former Indian team analyst) have helped me a lot and were one of the reasons why I moved to Chennai,” added the leg-spinner, who has also been a net bowler for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2021.
Speaking to Sportstar, Sivaramakrishnan said, “When he first came, he was bowling quicker through the air because he was playing on damp pitches in the U.K. So we worked backwards from his delivery stride to figure out a run-up that will support him with the balance when delivering and make him bowl like a spinner.”
“I think he bowled very consistently, didn’t get cut or pulled, which showed he didn’t bowl a lot of bad balls,” said the former India leg-spinner on his ward’s performance in the TNPL.
“We trained him for the long haul. He can bowl 20-25 overs, not just four or ten overs, and has the potential to play First-Class cricket.”
Speaking about his performance this season, Jhathavedh said, “I am delighted that I could deliver at this level. The team and (skipper) Shahrukh Khan backed me, allowing me to attack and bowl to my strengths.”
It was a leap of faith to move to a highly competitive set-up, and for now, the youngster has aced his first challenge finishing with 11 wickets in the TNPL ( Eco 6.57). “To do well against batters who are quality players of spin gives huge confidence that I am on the right path,” he said.
Comments
SHARE