NEWS
Follow UsDelhi Capitals (DC) fast bowler Avesh Khan feels head coach Ricky Ponting has helped his game evolve and he gets goosebumps every time he listens to the former Australia captain. Avesh has been in excellent form this season having picked up 18 wickets from 11 matches this Indian Premier League (IPL) this season so far.
"It is my fourth year with Ricky sir and I can say that he has been a legendary player and an equally great coach. He talks about the mental aspect of the game. Just listening to him in the dressing room gives me goosebumps. He has an open mind and you can discuss anything you wish with him," Avesh told PTI Bhasha in an interview.
Avesh's toe-crushing yorkers earned him praise from his teammate Anrich Nortje, who is among the fastest bowlers in the world today. Speaking of how he practices such deliveries, Avesh said, "I always try to practice as much as yorkers at the nets. It is a wicket-taking delivery and one can bring perfection with practice only."
"I use a bottle or cone or even my shoe for that. When the ball hits the target, it enhances my confidence too," said the Indore lad, who is enjoying a breakthrough season in IPL.
"It is very important to land perfect yorkers in pressure situations at it is the only delivery which can save a bowler from getting punished by the batter. I always try to welcome the new batter with a perfectly executed yorker," he added.
Happy with his performance in the current IPL season Avesh is aiming to maintain this form to help Delhi Capitals winning their maiden title. "It has been a dream-like journey so far. I started playing Cricket as a hobby and was always very passionate about the game. When I used to play with a tennis ball in Indore, I had never thought of coming so far,' said the former India U-19 pacer, who was in the reserves during the tour of England before a fracture cut short his tour.
With Kagiso Rabada, Nortje and Avesh in their armoury, Delhi Capitals have one of the strongest fast bowling attacks in IPL 2021 and all three of them are eager to learn and feed from each other's success. "I have been learning a lot from them. I keep asking them about the pitch, which bowl will work for a particular batter or what to bowl in a particular situation. Our focus remains on working as a unit, not on individual performances," he said.
He was first spotted by former cricketer Amay Khurasia, his mentor, at an MPCA trial at the age of 13. The Indore quick had been a regular feature in the India A sides . His Ranji coach Chandrakant Pandit also helped him to improve and till now he speaks to him before or after every match.
He also sought advice from Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has always been an inspiration for small-town boys who have made it big in cricket. "Mahi bhai has inspired a lot of youngsters. I also wanted to play under his captaincy. I spoke to him after the match against CSK and he told me many things about the game which I will always follow," said the pacer who also took Dhoni's wicket in the previous match and called it ' dream wicket'.
(With inputs from PTI)
