21-year-old Mayank Markande is on cloud nine, ever since he was called up to the Indian team for the two-match T20I series against Australia starting 24th February 2019. Markande became a household name after his exploits for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2018, where he held the purple cap at one point of time.
Markande impressed one and all with his skills and now in an interview with TimesofIndia.com, he has shared how he was convinced to become a leg-spinner and his reaction to being called up to the Indian team at such a young age.
At the age of 13-years-old, Mayank met former domestic cricketer Munish Bali, who also served as assistant coach of the 2008 U19 World Cup winning team, which was led by Virat Kohli. Mayank, who had wanted to be a fast bowler, was given a life altering advice by Bali.
“Mayank, you don’t have the physique to become a fast bowler. You don’t have much energy in your arms. Bali sir asked me to start bowling spin, as I didn’t have much power in my arms. I wanted to become a fast bowler but Bali sir’s advice changed my life," Mayank said.
"Mayank’s wrist was very strong. If you have a strong wrist and you are a leg-spinner, you can do wonders. When he bowled back-of-the-hand deliveries, I observed him closely. He was a raw talent at that time. I thought it was the right time to groom the kid," Bali told Timesofindia.com.
“I managed to convince and encourage Mayank to bowl leg-spin. I didn’t force him. I just told him what his strengths and weaknesses were. He listened to what I had to say and the result is in front of us," Bali said.
Mayank played 6 matches for Punjab in the last edition of the Ranji Trophy and bagged 29 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls. Mayank also took a five-wicket haul and powered India A to an innings and 68-run victory in the second unofficial Test in Mysore recently.
Mayank revealed his reaction to the Indian team call-up and said, "I was in Mysore and was playing against England Lions. When I came back to the dressing room, I saw that my phone was blinking. There were lots of missed calls and messages. I was surprised to see so many messages and calls. Those were all congratulatory messages for my India call-up."
"Honestly, I was shocked. I immediately checked the BCCI’s website and only then believed the news to be true. I was so happy and speechless because I didn’t expect the call-up. I called my parents to share the news. They were so happy and emotional," the youngster added.
Mayank also said that he was excited to play under the leadership of Virat Kohli and gain from the experience of the great MS Dhoni. "I am really excited to play under Virat Kohli's captaincy and also with MS Dhoni. Getting into the Indian team is a very big thing for me. I am going to learn a lot from my seniors. I am looking forward to sharing the dressing room with these legends," the 21-year-old said.
Markande was bought by Mumbai Indians for INR 20 lakhs and in his debut match against Chennai Super Kings, picked three wickets, including that of CSK skipper MS Dhoni.
Talking of the experience of playing in IPL, Mayank says, "It was a big moment for me. I never thought I will get his (Dhoni's) wicket. It will always remain a dream wicket for me. It was an honor to play under a legendary player like Rohit Sharma. He keeps the atmosphere very light. He doesn’t let youngsters feel like junior players. He was always there to guide me, whenever I needed his help. I was so nervous but he (Rohit) took the nervousness away.
(With TimesofIndia.com inputs)
