New Delhi: It seems Anil Kumble is seeing a bit of himself in Ravi Bishnoi. At Kings XI Punjab, he seems to have taken the leg-spinner under his wings with the latter working at the nets on the ‘chutki flipper’ which Kumble was well-known for.
Like Kumble, the Jodhpur-based Bishnoi started off as a fast bowler before turning to leg-spin which has traces of his fast bowling background. He is unconventional and quick through the air, similar to that of Kumble, though the delivery action is a bit different.
Bishnoi, who took 17 wickets to end as the highest wicket-taker in the U-19 World Cup earlier this year, is playing his first Indian Premier League (IPL) season and was a rare bright spot for the Kings XI during their humiliating 69-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday. He has already taken seven wickets in six games so far.
He removed David Warner and Jonny Bairstow in one over after the England wicketkeeper-batsman had taken him for 18 runs in his first over during a huge century stand between the two batsmen. He ended up taking one more wicket with a spell of 3-0-29-3.
It was a sweet revenge and came with skills. Both Warner and Bairstow were surprised by the pace of the ball, with the Englishman falling to a flipper that was conventional and different from Kumble’s special variety, the ‘chutki flipper’ which hastens through a batsman’s defences to hit the pads and stumps. It is called ‘chutki’ because of the click sound the bowler’s fingers make at delivery. It got Kumble tons of wickets during his playing days.
