Sreesanth is the biggest reason for whatever I have achieved as a bowler, says Kerala’s Nidheesh
Sreesanth is the biggest reason for whatever I have achieved as a bowler, says Kerala’s Nidheesh
Kerala pacer MD Nidheesh’s inspiration to become a fast bowler has always been singular – former Indian international and fellow Malayalee S Sreesanth.
“Sreesanth is my inspiration. I decided I wanted to become a fast bowler after watching him bowl for India. I have also been lucky to play alongside him. Even now, he helps me with suggestions about my bowling. In fact, we often meet up at his house and he helps me train,” says Nidheesh.
On Thursday, Nidheesh channeled his mentor’s inputs to the ‘T’ to claim his fifth First-Class fifer, against Madhya Pradesh at the Greenfield International Stadium in a Ranji Trophy encounter.
“He (Sreesanth) is the biggest reason for whatever I have achieved as a bowler. All my Ranji five-wicket hauls including today’s wouldn’t have been possible without his guidance,” adds Nidheesh.
On a moisture-laden surface at the Greenfield, Kerala won a good toss, allowing Nidheesh a chance to exploit the early bowler-friendly conditions.
“This is a fresh wicket and it rained yesterday. To help it was cloudy in the morning. So, the conditions were in favour of the pacers. We gained the upper hand because of the early wickets as the pitch slowly became batting-friendly,” said Nidheesh fresh from a recovery ice bath after a fruitful opening day.
The 33-year-old was persistent with his bowling zone, forcing Madhya Pradesh batters to prod at his away swingers. In-form Rajat Patidar and openers Harsh Gawli and Himanshu Mantri were all victims of Nidheesh’s ploy, backed by his solid preparation.
“We did a lot of work with the video team, looking not just at dismissal videos of Madhya Pradesh batters but also of them getting beaten. It helped us to prioritise on our strengths and plan for the opponent’s weaknesses,” says Nidheesh.
Nidheesh’s charge precipitated a batting meltdown, eventually resulting in Madhya Pradesh getting bowled out for 160, putting Kerala in a prime position to go for a win.
Kerala is currently second in the Group C standings and looks set to break its six-year-long streak of Ranji group stage exits.
“We got close six years ago when we reached the semifinal. Now, our ambition is clear. We want to get to the final and win the [Ranji] championship,” adds Nidheesh before joining his teammates in the team bus.
