From bylanes of Azamgarh to RCB dressing room, Punjab Kings’ new recruit Pravin Dubey charts unique path to the top
From bylanes of Azamgarh to RCB dressing room, Punjab Kings’ new recruit Pravin Dubey charts unique path to the top
Since the turn of the millennium, cricket in India has become heavily organized, with rigid structures in place to reach the zenith.
Almost all cricketers who make it to the top do so with stellar age-group records to back them.
But, sometimes, an outlier emerges, breaking into the set-up as a lateral entry following an inspirational year or a singular tournament. Karnataka’s Pravin Dubey is one such player.
Born in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Pravin started his cricketing journey in the bylanes with his friends, not knowing that one day his career would revolve around the 22 yards.
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The all-rounder’s rendezvous with university cricket during his time at the Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University in Jaunpur brought him to Bengaluru for the first time, kickstarting his journey with Karnataka.
Pravin found himself a job in the city after completing his education, while also playing part-time cricket on the side. The leg-spinner turned out for Malleswaram Gymkhana in the Karnataka First Division, where he scored around 530 runs and picked up 20 wickets in his maiden season.
The stellar club performance opened the doors to the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) in 2014-15, where he shone with the ball, picking up seven wickets in six matches at an economy rate of 5.90 for Hubli Tigers.
The following season, his stupendous performances continued, as he picked up eight wickets at an economy rate of 6.89 which forced Indian Premier League (IPL) side Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to come calling ahead of the 2016 edition.
“The first year at RCB was very special for me. I was sharing the dressing room with Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, Shane Watson and KL Rahul. I got to learn a lot from these legends which helped me in my domestic cricket as well,” Pravin told Sportstar on the sidelines of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
“I used to spend time with Virat bhai during practice, speaking about how I should bowl and which areas I should bowl at during certain game situations,” the spinner added.
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A long-term injury in 2017 derailed his path towards an IPL debut with the all-rounder unable to play any cricket for over a year, resulting in him losing his place in the State side.
“In a team like Karnataka, if you’re injured for one or two years, then it is very difficult to make a comeback because we all know the amount of talent in the State,” the 31-year-old said.
“But, I had the self-belief that when I recover, I will be able to make a comeback. I knew there is the KPL, the local league and other tournaments to help me play again,” he added.
After a gap of two years, Pravin was called up by RCB to be a net bowler during the 2020 COVID-19-riddled season in Dubai.
The decision to travel to Dubai proved to be a blessing after Delhi Capitals roped him in as an injury replacement for veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra.
“I went to Dubai as a net bowler, and when I returned to Bengaluru, I had come back after playing the IPL final. That was an unreal feeling for me,” the all-rounder said.
“I played the penultimate league game, then played Qualifier 2 and the final. That was a very special moment for me,” he added.
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The presence of Axar Patel and R. Ashwin in the Capitals’ line-up meant Pravin rarely had the opportunity to complete his overs, though he contributed with an economical two-over spell in Qualifier 2, going at just seven runs per over.
After spending five years with the Capitals, Pravin will join his former coach Ricky Ponting at Punjab Kings after he was picked up by the former Australian captain for his base price of Rs. 30 lakh.
“I have a good relationship with him, I get to learn a lot. The amount of energy he puts in the ground….working with him is fun,” the Karnataka spinner said.
Pravin will also be reunited with Yuzvendra Chahal, with who he has spent many net sessions during their time together at RCB.
Despite making his name as a leg-spinner who can bat, Pravin insists that he is a complete all-rounder. His comments were echoed by Yere Goud, the current head coach of the Karnataka team.
“Pravin always brings three factors into the game. He is one of the best fielders in the country and then his leg-spin. He can bat at any position, five, six or seven and can accelerate when required,” the coach said.
He showed his ability with the bat in Karnataka’s tournament opener against Mumbai, where he scored an unbeaten 65 off 50 balls, building an unbeaten 183-run stand with KL Shrijith to help Karnataka chase down 382.
With Karnataka winning three matches on the trot, Pravin will hope to keep contributing in all three facets of the game to help his team fight for silverware.
