While celebrating in Antigua after India’s 2022 Under-19 World Cup win, Raj Angad Bawa overheard somebody shouting his identify. But it wasn’t till a workforce worker advised him that Curtly Ambrose wished to have a dialog with him, he did not actually perceive what was being mentioned after that.
Ambrose, a person of few phrases, congratulated the younger man and mentioned, “Don’t lose your pace. you are quick. You can harass the best in the business, the kind of bouncy you generate with good length. Don’t be a line-length bowler. Enjoy the evening.”
“At first I did not perceive what he was making an attempt to say. VVS Laxman sir was with me, and he later defined to me,” Bawa advised The Indian Express.
In the Under-19 World Cup ultimate towards England, Bawa took 5 for 31 and was adjudged participant of the match for 35 runs. Seven months later, he has earned his maiden India A call-up for the three-match ODI sequence towards New Zealand A, beginning 22 September in Chennai.
Raj Angad Bawa along with his father Sukhwinder Bawa at Sector 16 Cricket Stadium in Chandigarh.
The 19-year-old credit his choice to the 45-day camp he attended on the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
“I believe I used to be picked due to my efficiency within the NCA rising match (under-25). We had been divided into 4 groups and I had good efficiency with each bat and ball. I’ve performed just a few days in (multi-day) cricket. Scored fifties and took 10 wickets in two matches. Even in T20I, I scored 71 runs in 40 balls within the third match whereas batting at quantity 5. I believe it has helped in my case.
NCA chief Laxman is alleged to have taken a eager curiosity within the teenager’s progress. “Even when VVS was traveling with the senior (India) team, he was keeping a close watch on the results of the emerging tournament. The best U-25 cricketers of the country were playing against each other and what impressed VVS the most was Raj’s work ethic and eagerness to improve his game,” mentioned an NCA official.
This 12 months has been filled with ups and downs for Bawa. After anchoring India to their fifth Under-19 World Cup title, he was picked up by the Punjab Kings within the Indian Premier League public sale for Rs 2 crore. He received to play solely two matches however his expertise of coaching with Kagiso Rabada, Liam Livingstone, Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapakse, Jonny Bairstow and Mayank Agarwal has boosted his confidence.
“IPL experience always matters. You get a chance to train with the best Indian and International cricketers. You see how Rabada goes with his bowling or how Livingstone and Bairstow work on their power hitting. It was an enriching experience,” he mentioned.
Sukhwinder Bawa, who broke the information to his son whereas enjoying an inter-zonal match at Chandigarh’s Sector-16 Stadium, feels his all-rounder expertise will now be put to the take a look at.
“It will be a different challenge now. If he is picked for the India A team, it means he is in the scheme of things. His all-rounder ability will be tested and he will also get an idea of the areas where he needs to improve,” mentioned Bawa senior.
India A squad for New Zealand A sequence: Prithvi Shaw, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rahul Tripathi, Rajat Patidar, Sanju Samson (c), KS Bharat (wk), Kuldeep Yadav, Shahbaz Ahmed, Rahul Chahar, Tilak Verma, Kuldeep Sen , Shardul Thakur, Umran Malik, Navdeep Saini, Raj Angad Bawa
Raj Bawa’s efficiency within the NCA Emerging Tournament
multi day
Match 1: 50 and 4/59, 2/16
Match 2: 53 and three/35, 2/61
T20
Match 1: 30 runs in 17 balls; 1.1-0-18-0
Match 2: 17 out of 8; 3.4-0-36-1
Match 3: 71* at 40; 2-0-26-2
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
