I stick to Rohit’s advice on bowling: Mayank Markande
CHANDIGARH: Few had heard of Mayank Markande till even a year ago. He wasn’t even a regular for Punjab. But the leg-spinner’s wicket-taking ability for Mumbai Indians last IPL pitchforked him into the limelight.
The 21-year-old earned the ticket to the Indian dressing room after being chosen in the T20 squad against Australia. It caps Markande showing in domestic cricket — he took 29 Ranji Trophy wickets for Punjab this season with the national call-up coming on a day when he captured five wickets in the second innings to bowl India A to victory over England Lions in the unofficial four-day Test in Mysuru. India A won by an innings and 68 runs.
Markande is grateful to MI captain Rohit Sharma for the IPL exposure. “Rohit bhaiya was magnanimous, a kind and amazing captain. Seeing me bowl in the nets prior to the season, he really backed me. Because I wanted to live up to his expectations, I could do well for Mumbai Indians. He told me to bowl my heart out and not hesitate to try variations. I am still bowling with that mindset. It would be great to play alongside Rohit bhaiya in India jersey.”
He added: “IPL gave me the right platform while bowling in Ranji gave me a great chance to test my skills. MONACO: Vinesh Phogat’s sporting achievements took a backseat as a clutch of European journalists, who had ‘read’ about life of a woman wrestler, were curious to know if people in India still frowned upon young girls wearing shorts and competing in sport alongside men.
Vinesh and her wrestler husband Somvir Rathee largely went unnoticed here during the morning session of interviews, but like Spanish national daily ABC’S young reporter Carlos Tristan, there were a few who wanted to know ‘more’ about Indian women after Yuwa, the Jharkhand-based NGO that uses football as a tool to empower girls, won the Laureus Sport for Good award on Sunday.
Vinesh is the first individual Indian athlete to be nominated for a major category in the Laureus awards. The 24-year-old from Bhiwani, Haryana, who won the 2018 Commonwealth and Asian Games golds (50 kg freestyle) after a debilitating knee injury in the 2016 Rio Games, will be up against Tiger Woods, Lindsey Vonn (skiing), figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (Japan) and snowboarders Mark Mcmorris (Canada) and Bibian Mentel-spee (Dutch Paralympic champion) for the World Comeback of the Year award.
“I had no clue about Laureus