“Got wickets of Kohli, Rahane and Pujara with basic off-spinners in warm-up game,” says Rahkeem Cornwall

Cornwall made his West Indies Test debut against India last year.

West Indies cricketer Rahkeem Cornwall caught the eyes of everyone not only for his humungous built but also because of his all-round skills. The right-handed batsman and off-spinner impressed one and all with his bowling as he claimed Cheteshwar Pujara as his maiden Test wicket last year.

However, the tall bowler recalled much bigger achievement in a match against the Indians in a 2016 match. His performance in India vs President’s XI match up that year got him a chance to bowl in India nets.

Cornwall had dismissed the pillars of India’s middle-order – Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane in the same innings and immediately made heads turn.

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“That was in a President’s XI game in St Kitts. I got a five-wicket haul in that game as well. I got Kohli lbw and Rahane caught bat-pad. They were basic off-spin deliveries with just a little bit of bounce. I also got Pujara bowled in that match - he was attempting a sweep shot,” Cornwall told ESPNCricinfo.

Cornwall’s impact was such that Kohli called for the off-spinner to bowl to India in the nets ahead of the Test series. “I see it as a breakthrough moment for me where one of the best batsmen in the world is asking for me to come to bowl to him in the nets. You learn a lot. A lot of patience, [that you need to] stick to line and length consistently rather than being all over the place,” Cornwall further added.

Talking about getting Pujara’s scalp in his first Test ever, Cornwall recalled, “He is a player that plays spin well. He looks to use his feet to the spinners. So basically, I was trying to keep him in the crease, and I got a little bit of bounce and he cut it to backward point. Probably catch I’m a little bit off guard in terms of the bounce, yeah.”