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Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Shubman's 269: A monument to Tinku's unfinished dream
1 2 3 4 5 6 M ohali: In the sweltering Mohali sun, surrounded by a sea of yellow jerseys and the laughter of young cricketers, stands a man whose eyes glisten, not from the heat, but from pride. Sukhwinder Singh Tinku watches over his students with the quiet satisfaction of a man who has turned heartbreak into hope. Thousands of miles away, his most gifted protégé, Shubman Gill , has just etched his name into cricketing history. Shubman's majestic 269 at Edgbaston didn't just break records, it broke barriers. It's now the highest Test score by an Indian captain, surpassing Virat Kohli's unbeaten 254. But behind that towering knock lies a story of grit, loss, and redemption — one that began not in England, but on the dusty grounds of Punjab. Tinku's own cricketing dreams once soared high. A Under-19 World Cup player, a trainee at the MRF Pace Foundation, and a stint in Australia — all signs pointed to a bright future. But fate had other plans. A knee injury on a matting wicket, followed by the sudden death of his father, brought his world crashing down. With no money for treatment, his dreams dissolved into pain and silence. But Tinku didn't stay down. He clawed his way back into the Ranji circuit, defying doctors and odds alike. Then, in a cruel twist, a casual game of football during a rain delay ended it all. Another fall. Another injury. This time, it was final. He handed his coach the ball and walked away — not just from the game, but from a dream. For two years, he wandered in a fog of despair. Until one day, he saw children playing cricket outside a school. Something stirred. He offered a few tips. They listened. That spark lit a fire. If he couldn't live his dream, he would help others chase theirs. From borrowed balls and dusty fields, a coaching legacy was born. Among the first to catch his eye was an eight-year-old with fierce focus and a bat that spoke volumes — Shubman Gill. "I told everyone then — he'll lead India one day," Tinku says, his voice tinged with both pride and prophecy. Gill's rise didn't surprise him. "He never threw away his wicket. Even as a kid, he learned from every mistake, without being told," Tinku recalls. "That discipline, that hunger is still there." Tinku's coaching mantra is deceptively simple: "Playing for India isn't tough if you learn the right technique and practice sincerely." Many laughed. But his students didn't. And some of them — like Manpreet Gony, Gurkeerat Mann, Sunny Sohal, and Simi Singh — went on to represent nations across the globe. Still, Shubman remains special. Tinku chuckles at a memory. "Once, Shubman disappeared for 10 days. When he returned, I asked where he'd been. He said, 'I went home.' I told him, 'Then go home.' And he actually started walking away! I had to send someone to bring him back. That's how innocent he was." From a paper packet in his bag, Tinku pulls out old photographs — faded snapshots of young boys with big dreams. Some are now stars, others lost to time. But to Tinku, each face is a chapter in a story of resilience. As Shubman raised his bat in Edgbaston, the world saw a record. Tinku saw a reflection of a dream once broken, now reborn in the hands of a boy who never forgot where he came from.
India.com
10-06-2025
- Sport
- India.com
Meet this bowler who bowls at 150 kmph, started his career as runner, his name is...
Vellore-born R D Pranav Raghavendra is making a lot of headlines in the Indian cricket circles these days. At just 17 years of age, the right-arm pacer has already made a name for himself with his sheer pace and discipline. During a recent training session, he bowled at a speed of 147.3 kmph, which shows his tremendous speed. Seeing such a fast pace from a young player has created excitement among both coaches and fans. Interestingly, Pranav was not always on the cricketing path. He started out as a sprinter in his childhood and excelled in the 100-meter race. The shift to cricket came when a doctor advised his parents to enroll him in a team sport after he became socially withdrawn after the birth of his younger sibling. That small suggestion changed his future. Once he stepped on the cricket field, Pranav became obsessed with speed and dedicated himself to becoming a true fast bowler. However, he is not just focusing on speed. He knows that consistency, control and fitness are equally important. Pranav said, "I love speed and I want to bowl fast. It always feels great when you scare batsmen with bouncers and hit the ball hard on their gloves. To continue this, I have to work on many aspects including accuracy, which is why I don't keep an eye on the speed gun." It was during a session at BCCI's Bengaluru-based Centre of Excellence that he registered a mark of 147.3 kmph. According to The Indian Express, this is the fastest ball bowled by any Indian U-19 cricketer till date. The feat is a testament to Pranav's sheer pace and potential, putting him at the forefront of India's young fast bowlers. Pranav's fast bowling development is also being guided by top mentors. He trained under Australian great Glenn McGrath at the MRF Pace Foundation and impressed everyone by clocking 139 kmph at just 16 years of age. His progress has continued apace. MRF Pace Foundation head coach M Senthilnathan has high hopes from the young pacer. With his natural pace and growing experience, many believe that Pranav could cross the 150 kmph milestone very soon - a rare feat for any young Indian bowler. This makes him a very exciting prospect for the future of Indian fast bowling, with him expected to lead the pace attack for the national team.
Indian Express
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
After clocking 147 kmph, new U-19 pace sensation from Tamil Nadu targets ‘accuracy'
'I don't want to be just about pace.' For someone who recently made waves with a blistering pace of 147.3 kmph, 17-year-old fast bowler R D Pranav Ragavendra has a steady head on his shoulders. The Chennai teenager, who is expected to star in India's U-19 tour of England this month-end, recently clocked 147.3 kmph, the fastest by any India U-19 cricketer at BCCI's Centre of Excellence, where he has been training. The 150-kmph mark in fast bowling is considered a hallowed landmark, where Indians usually don't tread. Of late, there have been a couple of young Indian pacers — 25-year-old Umran Malik and 22-year-old Mayank Yadav — who have had the ball blur across at such rapid speeds, but Pranav is the youngest of the lot to approach that stratosphere. Those who work with him say he has the potential to breach the 150 kmph soon, and it won't be a surprise if he does that on India U-19 tour of England, where the team is set to play two Tests and five ODIs starting June 27. Yet, as Ragavendra says, he doesn't want to 'just about pace'. 'I love speed and I want to bowl fast. It always feels great when you scare batsmen with bouncers and hit their gloves with the hard length. To continue doing it, I have to work on a lot of aspects, including accuracy, which is why I don't keep an eye on the speed gun,' he tells The Indian Express. For now, he says, he is working on 'building his base'. 'To bowl fast, I need to ensure fitness remains my top priority and for that, I need to take care of myself by doing the right things. Be it skillset training or fitness drills or recovery… everything is non-negotiable if I have to be part of next year's U-19 World Cup and beyond,' he says. With a long, steady run-up, Pranav has a smooth, open-chested action with the in-dipper being his stock delivery. But fast bowling was not Pranav's first love. As a child, he wanted to be a sprinter, who, even before his teens, was clocking 13.76 m in a 100-m race. 'Cricket came into his life on the recommendation of a doctor. After Pranav had a sibling, he seemed distracted. From being the centre of everyone's attention, he saw the focus shifting to his younger brother. He was in a lonely territory and when we consulted a doctor, he advised us to put him in a team game so that he has company at all times. That's how the switch from sprint to cricket happened,' says Pranav's father E Rajendran. And once he picked up the red cherry, Pranav wanted to spear it as fast as he could. Last year, when he was 16, with pace legend Glenn McGrath overseeing the camp at the MRF Pace Foundation, Pranav touched 139 kmph and word began to spread about this exciting fast-bowling prospect. Last Ranji season, Pranav was named in the Tamil Nadu squad and played two matches. And then, last week, he was included in India's Under-19 squad for the upcoming tour of England. 'Pace has always been his strength. When I first saw him, he was bowling in the early 130 (kmph), but now, in a span of just two years, he has been consistently bowling between 135-145 kmph. Speed comes naturally to him and right now, it is all about gaining control. He is still in a developmental stage, so he may even add a few extra yards of pace. But for a boy of his age, he is already very quick. We have to nurture him and protect him. Speed shouldn't become an obsession because what matters is control. The good thing is, even he understands it,' says M Senthilnathan, the head coach of MRF Pace Foundation. For Tamil Nadu, a state that has been struggling in recent times with its pace attack, Pranav's arrival has got many excited. Alongside Pranav, there is D Deepesh, who also clocks in excess of 140, and is part of the reserves. Overseeing the fitness of this pace duo is Ramji Srinivasan, who was previously part of the Indian team for nearly a decade. 'Pranav is definitely a talent for the future, but the most important thing is that he has to be protected and nurtured so that he maximises his potential… We saw what Australia did with Pat Cummins. Similarly, we have put in place a long-term athlete development programme so that he peaks at the right time,' Ramji says. Ramji's emphasis on fitness isn't without reason. In recent times, the likes of Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti, who came through the U19 ranks, and Umran Malik and Mayank Yadav — all express-quick bowlers — have all struggled with long-term injuries. It's a trap Ramji wants Pranav to avoid. 'If you are bowling that quick, he needs to have a strong foundation. He is at his growth stage, so the core has to be built – including the base which will empower him. The mechanics of it have to be developed according to his need. A comprehensive diet plan and recovery plan will help him grow. We need to show patience for him to develop into an adult. Young athletes are not finished products,' says Ramji. 'We shouldn't repeat the same mistakes like we have done with others.'
The Hindu
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
McGrath's former trainer Chevell to work at MRF Pace Foundation
The MRF Pace Foundation, headed by its Director of Coaching Glenn McGrath, has brought in Australian trainer Kevin Chevell to work with its trainees this year. Chevell, a former left-arm pacer who played for Western Australia, worked with McGrath and was instrumental in keeping the Aussie pacer fit in his long career. 'I give Kev a lot of credit for my success,' says McGrath, who started working with Chevell in 1995 after suffering a side-strain injury. 'Strength training is as much about the mental side of preparing yourself as the physical side. You train hard and play easy, not the other way around. And that's what I'm trying to get over to the young guys here.' 'If you put the work in, that makes a massive difference out in the middle. It had a big impact on me. I went from being injured to playing 53 Tests in a row,' the Aussie legend explained. M. Senthilnathan, chief coach, added, 'Kevin's got a different kind of workout, and the work he did for Glenn is proof of his impact. That's why the management felt like this is the next step we need to get into.' Speaking about his work, Chevell felt that being a cricketer helped him have an understanding of what a player's body goes through. 'The human body works as a whole, integrated system. I put a lot of pressure on them and put them in a spot where they're up to a big challenge. Once they've achieved it, they have grown a little, and they are mentally stronger and tougher. The formula that I am using is repeatable and workable for all cricketers,' says Chevell, who has also worked with Mark Taylor in the past and is currently training the likes of Sam Billings and Zak Crawley.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Test captaincy a challenge but Shubman Gill has composure: Glenn McGrath
Gill will captain India against England in the Test series in June (Image via AP/Manish Swarup) Chennai : Newly-appointed India Test captain Shubman Gill is set for a trial by fire in the five-match assignment in England, where he will venture into uncharted territory. The absence of experienced campaigners — following the recent retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma — will only make Gill's task tougher. While doubts have been raised regarding Gill's elevation to red-ball captaincy, given his not-sofantastic returns away from home, legendary Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath backed the 25-year-old to come good in his new role. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'I'm keen to see how India go under Gill. I just like the way he goes about it. He is pretty composed. I like his body language. I know that he has done better on home soil than abroad. That is the next challenge. He will want to go over there and set the standard in England. Batting in England is a lot different to batting in India,' McGrath, the director of coaching at the MRF Pace Foundation, said here on Monday. Shubman Gill story: From a remote village near the border to India's Test captain 'It will be a challenge for him, but I think that Gill has got good composure. He will be a good Test captain. India do not have the experience that they had with Rohit and Virat. So they have got to go over there and enjoy,' McGrath added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Promoções imperdíveis de voos baratos Voos | Anúncios de Pesquisa Saiba Mais Undo Poll Do you believe Shubman Gill is ready for the role of Test captain? Yes, he has the skills. No, he lacks experience. Gill will undoubtedly rely on Jasprit Bumrah's wizardry on seamfriendly surfaces, but will have to prepare a good-enough plan 'B' as the pace spearhead is likely to be rested for a game or two. Asked if India are over reliant on Bumrah to create a telling impact, McGrath replied that the pacer relishes rising to the big occasions. 'In Australia, they over-relied on Bumrah. He had to bowl more than he wanted. In the end, that is where the injury (back issue) probably came from. He enjoys that extra responsibility. When he captained India in Perth, he stepped up and enjoyed the challenge. He will enjoy bowling with the Duke ball in English conditions,' McGrath said. Shubman Gill returns to the city where it all started for him as a youngster 'Bumrah looks like he is back to full fitness, so he is going to play a major part. He is a class bowler. He has not played the long version of the game (for months now), so India have to use the other bowlers well. The key to Bumrah's longevity is how the bowlers around him bowl. If they bowl longer spells, Bumrah can get more rest.' Among the other members of the pace-bowling pack, Prasidh Krishna has caught McGrath's eye. 'If he can hit the right lengths, he is going to be dangerous with the bounce which he can get,' McGrath said.
