NEW DELHI: Throwdown specialist D Raghavendra’s ability to ratchet up speeds in excess of 150-155 kmph with the sidearm enormously contributed to Indian batsmen’s improvement against fast bowling in recent years, acknowledges skipper Virat Kohli.
The sidearm is a cricketing equipment that is shaped like a long spoon, with its far end designed to hold and hurl the ball at great speeds.
“I believe the improvement this team has shown while playing fast bowling since 2013 has been because of Raghu,” Kohli said during an Instagram Live session with Bangladesh star Tamim Iqbal. “He has good concepts about footwork, bat movement of players. He has improved his skills so much that from sidearm he easily hurls the balls at 155 kmph.
“After playing Raghu in nets, when you go into the match, you feel there is a lot of time,” Kohli added.
It is no surprise that Raghavendra has been a crucial member of the Indian cricket team’s support staff for years now.
Kohli said he never had self doubts at any time, including while engineering those big chases in high-pressure international matches.
“To be honest, I never doubted myself in game situations. Everyone who is human has doubts and weaknesses. Have their negatives. So in practice during tours, if you haven’t had a good session you feel you don’t have that flow.
“Yes, doubts creep in then and it’s at the back of your mind. Key is to keep going and get into that zone till you feel that it was just distraction. If I believe I am good enough, then I am good enough.” The prolific scorer added, “Best part about the match situation is that you don’t need to think so much. You react to situations knowing your role.
“Negative voices always come off the field when you are not in competition mode.” The master of chases, Kohli said in his childhood, while watching India games, he would often go to sleep thinking that he could have helped the team to victory.
“Honestly, when I was a kid, I used to watch India games and see them lose. I would go to sleep thinking I could have won that match. If I am chasing 380, I never feel that you can’t achieve it.”
–PTI.

Press Trust of India