Stewart’s tough love made me a Test contender
SPINNER VIRDI GETS IN SHAPE FOR ENGLAND
AMAr Virdi admits it took the tough love of Alec Stewart to stop him wasting the rich spinning ability that has now taken him to the brink of the england Test side.
The chances of Virdi becoming only the third player from a Sikh background to represent england after Monty Panesar and ravi Bopara looked remote when Surrey director of cricket Stewart told him last year his levels of fitness were unacceptable.
Stewart, the fittest of players himself during a recordbreaking england career, dropped Virdi for the first nine matches of the 2019 season and told him to shape up if he wanted a future with Surrey, let alone at the highest level.
But a strict regime put in place by the hulking figure of Surrey fitness coach darren Veness proved the salvation of a young bowler who had announced himself at the Oval with 39 wickets in their Championship-winning campaign of 2018.
now a slimline Virdi, 21, has reached the ‘minimum levels’ needed to keep up with an england team he describes as the fittest in world cricket after joining up with them at their Southampton training camp.
‘i don’t think i would have been here now if that hadn’t happened,’ said Virdi of the wake-up call delivered by the Surrey and england legend.
‘i’d always been focused on my bowling and it took something like that to make me realise how important fitness was.
‘it hurt being left out, but daz Veness is a legend and that’s a phrase i don’t use very often. He’s worked really hard with me, pushed me and shown a lot of belief in me. And the fitness work has had a big impact on my bowling, too. it’s something i really look forward to doing now. it’s given me extra motivation and opened my eyes.
‘i need to thank Stewie, daz and the other coaches at Surrey for what they did.’
england will be thankful, too, if Virdi goes on to take that final step and plays Test cricket. The man who grew up idolising Graeme Swann and Panesar is still a work in progress and has plenty to improve in his batting and fielding. But he can bowl and has a reputation as an attacking spinner who gives the ball a real rip. ‘You have to be aggressive and look to take wickets,’ said Virdi. ‘it’s fundamental to me. Maybe the pitches are not always suited to spin, but even at times when i have to keep it tight, my eyes are always on taking wickets. ‘ i may still bowl the odd loose ball, but if you’re attacking you will bowl a lot more wickettaking deliveries and that’s what makes you dangerous.
‘i have fond memories of Graeme Swann ripping through Australia in the Ashes that way,’ continued Virdi from england’s Ageas Bowl bubble. ‘And Monty was an inspiration as well, because he looks very similar to me and is from the same community.
‘We’re in a minority in a lot of industries and to see someone progressing and doing well in the field you’re in really motivates you and proves you can do it.’
That need for more role models at the highest level for the thousands of youngsters from Asian backgrounds playing recreational cricket in england is an acute one. And the son of immigrants from east Africa believes it is partly a question of attitude.
‘There are so many factors,’ said Virdi when asked why so few talented players from backgrounds like his reach the top with england. ‘A lot of it is to do with mind-set and upbringing.
‘A lot of Asian parents support india, so you can grow up doing what they do. But from a young age i supported england.
‘it can also be very daunting for people from minority communities to play for big clubs. i started at indian Gymkhana, which is majority Asian, and i found it hard moving to Sunbury at about 12 years old. But it was the best move for my cricket because it’s important to play at a level that’s recognised by county clubs.
‘There’s so much potential in so many communities and that needs to be tapped into.’
now Virdi is competing with Jack Leach, Moeen Ali, dom Bess and Matt Parkinson for a place in an enlarged 20-man squad for the first Test against West indies.
‘i want to be playing in the first Test,’ added Virdi. ‘i’m very proud i’ve got to this level but the next stage is about pushing for that Test place.’