Sarabjit Ladda's four-wicket haul in the Ranji match against Tamil Nadu this season could not save his team Punjab from a crushing defeat at the hands of Tamil Nadu but it has given the leg spinner a new lease of life. His bowling impressed the TN skipper Dinesh Karthik who then put in a word to the Delhi Daredevils management and the result is a pleasant surprise for Sarabjit as he has been given a contract by the IPL team as replacement for the Kiwi spinner Daniel Vettori. "When Karthik told me to join Delhi Daredevils for the next IPL,I was definitely overwhelmed. Being selected in IPL is a big breakthrough in my career. I was little disappointed at not having made it to the first two editions of IPL. I am excited to play along side Sehwag,Gambhir and of course Amit Mishra," Sarabjit said. Ladda,who has signed a one-year contract,made his debut for Punjab in 2007 after 13 players joined the ICL. He has played nine Ranji Trophy matches and taken 29 wickets. Born in Bathinda,Sarabjit tryst with cricket started in early 90s when he watched Australia 's legend Shane Warne bowl on television. He began taking bowling coaching in Bathinda and tried to copy Warne's bowling style. After being successful at district level and on the insistence of his coach Ashanand Saini he shifted to Patiala for his cricket and got himself enrolled with coach Munish Bali. In order to give push to his son's cricket desires his father,a constable in RPF,got himself transferred to Patiala eight years ago and the son's latest feat will make not only the father but the entire family proud. "I have struggled a lot during my initial days. Putting behind everything,I am looking forward to the future with a positive frame of mind. If I work hard and stay focused I am sure I can taste success at the top-level. When someone is playing along side international cricketers,he has to be on his toes so that he maintains those standards. IPL has become a global venture,so,being art of it will always be a huge thing for a small-town cricketer like me" he said. Warne's most memorable ball,also called the "Ball of Century" against English batsman Mike Gatting in1993,has left a huge impression on his career: "He is my ultimate hero. I hope to bowl that sort of delivery one day." Sarabjit top-delivery is the flighted ball. "I bowl on fuller length mostly,but when I bowl a flighted delivery,it fetches me a wicket. I am looking forward to working and training with Daredevils in February during practice matches and pick a few tricks from coach Greg Shipperd and Mishra. Bowling in T-20 tournament will be challenging for a leg-spinner like me," he added. Sarabjit was the top-wicket-taker in the Kings Cup held in Mohali last year,but he was overlooked as Kings XI Punjab already had a leg spinner,an international one at that time in the form of Piyush Chawla in their ranks. He is the only Punjab cricketer to have made it to the Delhi Daredevil's team.
