India failed to lift the ICC U-19 World Cup for the record-fifth time but right-arm leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi had a tournament to remember.
Described by former cricketer Ian Bishop as a ‘wizard’, Ravi Bishnoi was a potent weapon in India’s arsenal in South Africa. With 17 wickets in six matches, the Rajasthan cricketer was the tournament's highest wicket-taker.
Bishnoi’s outing against Japan was the most economical spell of the competition, which saw him taking four wickets for mere five runs. In the next match against New Zealand, he once again accounted for four wickets.
Known for the vicious googly in his weaponry, Bishnoi not only boxed the inexperienced Japanese batters, but gave a hard time to Kiwi as well as the Pakistan players – despite the latter being good proponent against spin bowlers.
Bishnoi’s economy of 3.48 from six matches highlights that apart from his wicket-taking abilities, the leggie has been a difficult bowler to score runs against.
Meanwhile, he is the only one from the Indian contingent to get two Player of the Match awards in the tournament.
Bishnoi's tally of 17 wickets, was also the most by an Indian in the tournament.
The 19-year old from Jodhpur showed his class in the World Cup final against Bangladesh. He produced a sensational spell of spin bowling with his googlies spelling doom for Bangladesh batters.
Bishnoi came and wreaked havoc as his googly removed Tanzid off the fifth ball in his first over. He then bowled Mahmudul Hasan Joy, trapped Towhid Hridoy in front and had Shahadat Hossain stumped. Bishnoi’s stats at the end of 10 overs read 4/30.
Fighting the Failures
Bishnoi’s life journey is nothing less than a typical bollywood father-son story.
During his early days, Ravi was sent back from every trial. The situation became so bad that his father Mangilal, called up Ravi’s coach Shahrukh Pathan and said, “Mera bacha mujhe vaapis de do (please give back my son)”.
Mangilal – who is a headmaster in a school – couldn’t see Ravi’s condition and wanted him to leave the game for good.
Somehow Pathan convinced Ravi’s father to let him continue and fight on.
In 2018, again two selection trials were called. Bishnoi had taken 15 wickets in five selection matches in the period leading up to the big trials by the Rajasthan Cricket Association.
Soon, the Indian board too, had organised a selection match. Bishnoi took five wickets and scored a hundred while opening in that match. But even that effort wasn’t enough for him to get a fair chance at the main trials.
That is when Ravi lost all hope and broke down.
“I just kept crying thinking why they are doing this to me. I wasn’t given a chance, and when I got, I had performed but I still wasn’t picked. You need an opportunity to become big, right? (Bada ban-ney ke liye ek mauka toh chahiye na). I was shooed away after taking first step,” Ravi Bishnoi told The Indian Express.
This was when Ravi’s father decided that Ravi has to leave the game to focus on his studies since he saw no possible future for him in cricket.
But Ravi’s coach, Pathan wanted to give it a last shot. He spoke to Dishyant Yagnik, a former Rajasthan first class player and fielding coach of Rajasthan Royals, to put in a word with the authorities to have a look at Bishnoi once again.
It worked and finally Bishnoi was called back for one more trial and he gave everything he had. He dismissed a talented U-19 batsman on his very first two deliveries which convinced the selectors of his talent.
Since then, he has been performing consistently and has proved his worth everytime he comes out to play.
Bishnoi was picked up by Kings XI Punjab for 2 crores in the 2020 IPL Auctions on 19 December last year. He would be looking forward to make a mark in the richest T20 league of the world.
It would be interesting to see how and when the young spinner would make it into the senior India team.
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