Switch in time for Ashwin

Spending time in the gym has become mandatory for any aspiring cricketer. For Ashwin Yadav though, it8217;s not about the weights 8212; his memories of early fitness involve climbing ropes and doing dandbaithaks, for those were part of his strengthening routines as a young wrestler.

Spending time in the gym has become mandatory for any aspiring cricketer. For Ashwin Yadav though, it8217;s not about the weights 8212; his memories of early fitness involve climbing ropes and doing dandbaithaks, for those were part of his strengthening routines as a young wrestler.

Yadav, who picked up six wickets to bowl Hyderabad to a crucial first-innings lead against Delhi, hails from Begambazaar in Hyderabad, a locality famous for its wrestling tradition. 8220;My father, my grandfather, forefathers, my brothers are all wrestlers8230; but wrestling didn8217;t interest me because it holds no prospects as a career. So I left it and began to play cricket.8221;

At 58217;48221;, fast bowling is not an obvious option, but the early training must have helped. For on Wednesday, the former wrestler bowled long hostile spells at decent pace to stop Delhi in their tracks.

8220;Who says short guys can8217;t bowl quick. God didn8217;t give me height, but my deliveries skid off the wicket and moved a lot. I also use reverse swing well,8221; he says.

Tips from Laxman

Interestingly, Ashwin was introduced to cricket by his cousin Rajesh Yadav, who8217;s a childhood friend of VVS Laxman. Yadav had seen him pull off some tricks with a tennis ball at the neighbourhood park. Ashwin8217;s connection with Laxman goes further. 8220;I bowl to him every day at the nets and bowling to him has helped me a lot. That has taken away the fear of bowling to big names.8221;

There was another useful tip. 8220;He told me that all good batsmen wait for the ball to be bowled outside their stump line to hit. 8216;Always bowl wicket to wicket8217;.8221;

His new nickname in the dressing room is hat-trick 8212; because the 24-year old has already picked up two hat-tricks in the last two months 8211; against Orissa and the Sri Lanka A side. Ask about his idols and he names Ajit Agarkar 8212; 8220;I can8217;t wait to play Mumbai8221; 8212; and less surprisingly, Brett Lee. There are traces of the Australian in his own bounding run-up.

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His career switch has worked for him so far, but Ashwin8217;s aiming a few notches higher.