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.”