11 December,2019 07:00 AM IST | Mumbai | Harit N Joshi, Subodh Mayure
Pradeep Sahu. Pic/Harit N Joshi
It's been a roller coaster ride for Mumbai spinner Pradeep Sahu. While the leggie's services are much sought after by the Australian team since the last one year, Sahu was just another net bowler for the Indian team on Tuesday.
He turned up at Wankhede Stadium to bowl to the Indian batsmen on the eve of the T20 decider against West Indies during the optional training session for Virat Kohli's team. Sahu, 34, who has represented Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, has been effectively used by the Australian think tank to prepare their batsmen to play leg-spin.
After his first assignment for the Aussies in the UAE where they played Pakistan earlier this year, Sahu was called up by the Australians for their World Cup campaign in England. He is slated to join the Australian support staff for the ODI series against India and South Africa next year.
"Obviously, it feels great to be a part of the Australian camp. I get to learn a lot from their work ethic. My role with the Australian team is to help their batsmen get better at playing leg spinners," Sahu told mid-day. He was delighted to bowl to the Indian team on Tuesday. "I wanted to bowl to our team and I am happy to get this opportunity. It is a huge learning experience," he said.
Class VII and VIII students of St Xavier's High School in Nepal were over the moon when they learnt that Team India were training for the all-important match of the T20I series v West Indies. They were at the Garware Club on Tuesday as part of a 20-day exchange programme with St Mary's ICSE (Mazgaon).
"On Monday, we took them for a Mumbai Darshan and today we visited the Garware Club. When we came to know that the Indian team were practising at the Wankhede Stadium, we rushed to see them. Our friends from the Nepal school are very fond of the Indian team," said a St Mary's ICSE student.
The St Xavier's students not only got a glimpse of the Indian team training, they were also lucky to get autographs of some top players.
Skipper Virat Kohli was not around since it was an optional practice session and the Nepal lads missed out on his inscription.
Newly-elected Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Dr Vijay Patil personally took stock of things at the Wankhede Stadium on the eve of the third and final T20I between India and West Indies.
Patil, along with a few Apex Council members and office-bearers, took a round of the stadium. He visited the president's box, corporate boxes and a few stands before heading back to the MCA office.
Captain Kieron Pollard had a special fan witnessing the West Indies practice session on Tuesday - Thane resident Swapnil Dalvi.
Dalvi, who coaches at Hiranandani Foundation school and Salgaonkar Sports Club, recalled how Mumbai Indians's Pollard spent time with him at the team hotel after last year's IPL game against Kings XI Punjab. "I was cheering for him during that IPL game on April 10 when he was leading the side in the absence of Rohit Sharma. While he was returning to the dressing room, I loudly requested him to spend a few minutes with me. He asked me to come to the team hotel and so I did. I was surprised when he sent someone to the entrance of the hotel to take me to the reception area where we spoke for a few minutes at midnight.
"Pollard is my favourite cricketer. I believe he is capable of doing anything to win a game for his team be it Mumbai Indians or West Indies," Swapnil Dalvi told mid-day.
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