Everybody loves a “rookie in the big leagues” story and the first chapter of one may have been written last night at the Eden, as debutant Suyash Sharma announced himself on the big stage picking 3 wickets which included a double wicket over in which he dismissed both Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik. Coming on to bowl after a late surge from Rinku Singh and Shardul Thakur had powered the Knights over the 200 mark and spin twins Sunil Narine and Varun Chakraborty removing half the RCB side for just 61 runs, it was a perfect platform for a new comer to come and shine on the big stage.
The 19 year old Delhi boy who hails from East Delhi, has never played a professional fixture before his IPL debut last night and almost gave up on cricket in 2020, as his career was going nowhere. His then mentor, former Delhi Cricketer Kartar Nath, convinced his mother to not take away the youngster from the sport. Suyash continued playing for the Delhi U-25 team and this is where he caught the eye of the Knights scouting team. Soon after, he was invited to a Knights camp in Mumbai, where he trained with the coaches and other players for several days. Back then Abhisekh Nair had asked him to be ready for a step up, but it was only when he saw on TV that he had been picked at the auction, did the reality of a dream coming true dawned on the youngster.
The young leg spinner, who is deceptively quick through the air, has been proving to be a handful for the seasoned pros in the KKR camp and the coaches have been working overtime in the nets to get the best out of him. Speaking after Suyash’s impressive debut performance last night, Coach Chandrakant Pandit praised the youngster for his tremendous attitude, the willingness to learn and face challenges. He also added that the leggie could move the ball both ways and hence, could be an extremely important asset for the team in the coming years. Skipper Rana who is a seasoned Delhi pro, jokingly said, “Even I don’t know where he comes from. He is a Delhi boy but I have never seen him”. He went on to add that whenever conditions are favourable the youngster will be given the chance to step in as the 3rd spinner for the Knights.
With a special debut now in the rear-view mirror, Suyash has captured the attention of one and all. It is now time to go back to the nets, work even harder and prove he is here because this is where he belongs.
