Run of Tymal Mills attracts Bangalore, Kohli’s attention
NEWDELHI: Not even a month back, India captain Virat Kohli had said Tymal Mills’ pace won’t be a problem in the India-England series since he has played serious fast bowling before as well. Now, Mills is set to play under Kohli.
For someone who started playing cricket seriously at only 14, Mills’ rise has been phenomenal. Born in Yorkshire, he played for Essex at 19 before making it to the England Lions setup. A career in journalism awaited him but he left the course at University of East London to concentrate on his cricket.
Mills is probably one of those born to bowl fast. So when he started breaking the 90mph mark regularly, there were calls for him to be included in the England squad for the 2013-14 Ashes. A congenital back condition however cropped up. Since his spinal cord is located too close to the vertebrae, too much workload could cause serious pain.
Very soon it was clear Mills would only be able to play shorter forms of the game. Despite the risk of injury, Mills wasn’t ready to cut down on his pace since that made him stand out from the pack. Still 24, the leftarm pacer has already played for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash, Chittagong Vikings in the BPL and Quetta Gladiators in PSL.
Being bought for a cool ~12 crore should be a turning point in Mills’ career. The pressure of playing seven home matches at one of the smallest grounds in the world, along with adjusting to the heat of April-May and a stifling schedule should make this a unique experience for Mills.