I’ll find no finer mentor than Gareth Batty

Amar Virdi is well aware of the challenges facing a spinner in England. Starting his career with Middlesex, the 18-yearold was released at 12 but is now celebrating a three-year Surrey contract believing he can boast no better mentor than captain Gareth Batty.

Only finding cricket because of his brother Gursimran, Virdi hadn’t even watched the sport by the time he picked up a ball at his sibling’s practice session.

Not inclined to steam in at pace, Virdi rolled his arm over with some off-spin and soon gained the attention of coaches.

Fast forward and the teenager now enjoys the focus of Batty and Alec Stewart – men to whom Virdi is grateful for his pre-season opportunities at Surrey.

“Gareth has given me a lot of confidence in what I am trying to do. He has helped me develop my own skills rather than trying to change what I am doing,” said Virdi.

“He fast-tracks a lot of knowledge. Rather than me trying to experience it all through playing loads of cricket, his knowledge and experience has given me a head start.

“Having Gareth as that fellow off-spinner really helps me when trying to develop my skills and tactical plans.

“I had a good start to the season with five-wicket hauls in my first two 2nd XI games.

“Since then it has been going quite well, I fit in well with the team and think I contribute. There’s good coaching and staff helping with my batting and bowling.”

Progressing through the Surrey system from U12 level, Virdi also became the first beneficiary of the Saoud Galadari Scholarship.

But in truth the spinner has always punched above his weight, playing above his age groups while still at Middlesex prior to his switch.

Virdi has also enjoyed time with England at U19 level – taking 5-77 on Youth Test debut against Sri Lanka this summer.

But the Chiswick-born prospect is keeping his feet on the ground by taking up every over on offer – whether at Surrey or Premier League outfit Sunbury.

“You could say that, because there aren’t that many spin bowlers around, it gives you the opportunity to progress faster whereas if you’re batting, the speed of the ball is hard to cope with at a young age and so it is hard to progress,” he added.

“The ambition is to play for my country, but these are all stepping stones.

“Hopefully I will be playing a bit of county 1st XI by the end of the season and next year, progressing nice and slowly and enjoying it along the way.

“But even just practising in the nets, you have people like Kumar Sangakkara, Aaron Finch, Chris Morris and Jason Roy – it is good experience for me to be bowling against those guys.

“With their backgrounds of international cricket; they have an understanding of how to play the best off-spin bowlers. If they can pass on some of that knowledge to me, then that is extremely helpful.”