The big storyline to emerge from Kolkata Knight Riders’ win over Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday was the contribution of three former India U19 team-mates.
More than two years after playing prominent roles in the ICC U19 World Cup in New Zealand, the trio of Shubman Gill, Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti was starring for an IPL franchise in an emphatic victory.
In the interim, Gill continued his steady rise as a batting prodigy and has even managed to bag two ODI caps for the Indian senior team. For Mavi and Nagarkoti though, it has been a different story altogether.
The two young pacers impressed in the World Cup with their speed and aggression, with both of them clocking speeds over 140 kph with regularity. Such was the impact that the duo, along with Gill, were purchased by Kolkata Knight Riders midway through the marquee tournament in New Zealand.
However, life can be cruel for a professional cricketer and even more so for fast bowlers. Injuries are never far away with the dynamics involved in their bowling actions, and the same has unfortunately been the case for Mavi and Nagarkoti.
Mavi did make a total of nine appearances for Kolkata in the 2018 IPL, earning some vital experience on the big stage as a 19-year-old. Sadly, the dreaded stress-fracture that plagues plenty of fast bowlers put paid to any hopes he might have had of building on that start in 2019.
The injury woes ensured that the entire 2019 IPL campaign would be a write-off for Mavi. While Mavi has been unlucky with injuries, his team-mate Nagarkoti has had it even worse. On Wednesday, the Rajasthan-born bowler was tormenting the franchise of his home state.
The clash against the Royals was only the fourth competitive fixture the pacer has played since his impressive U19 World Cup campaign. A fractured foot would see him miss the entire 2018 IPL competition, while recurring back injuries over the course of the next 15 months prevented him from making his IPL bow in 2019.
Credit has to be given to the KKR franchise for sticking with the youngster during these testing times, and that patience was rewarded in kind against the Royals. Four wickets between the pair, including those of Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson, brought Rajasthan to their knees in a daunting chase of 175.
It was only fitting that Mavi and Nagarkoti had Pat Cummins shepherding them through their spells on Wednesday. If any fast bowler knows a thing or two about stress fractures and back injuries, it is the Australian Cummins. For long he was considered a lost cause with his recurrent stress injuries after what had been a sensational introduction on the international stage.
Cummins’ comeback to the Australian team after nearly six years is a lesson in perseverance for any pacer. In the three years or so since his return, the Aussie has barely missed a game while going on to establish himself as arguably the best all-format fast bowler in the business. Now, he is leading the KRR bowling attack as the most expensive overseas recruit in IPL’s history.
As Cummins reaps the rewards for keeping a brave face in times of adversity, Mavi and Nagarkoti can look ahead with optimism towards a bright future of their own. There will inevitably be further injury setbacks in the years to come but, for now, they can afford to be buoyant.
The four wickets they claimed against Rajasthan could be put down to some ordinary batting by the batsmen involved. However, there was nothing ordinary about the desire and enthusiasm they wore on their sleeves.
From being hyped as the next big thing to the risk of being completely forgotten, plenty has transpired for the pair in the past two years. With a combined age of 41 between them, there is plenty of time to make up lost ground for the duo. Wednesday’s performance was a timely reminder of why they were so highly touted in the first place, with their livewire display being a real standout.
“I think it is a very special thing. It makes me a little emotional,” Kolkata skipper Dinesh Karthik stated in the post-match press conference.
“The journey that these boys have been through when they were not playing was hard. They had doubts about whether their body will cope or whether they will play again.
“For them to come out here, and express themselves and want to do something with both the bat and the ball is really special.”
It was a special performance indeed from Mavi and Nagarkoti, and one that will encourage plenty of Indian fans. In an era which is already turning out to be a golden one for the country’s pace reserves, the rise of two highly-rated youngsters will come as another welcomed boost.
There are no guarantees at the highest level in sport, and the two youngsters have already learnt that lesson the hard way. The potential though is clearly there as seen with the pace and purpose in their Wednesday outing.
For now they can hold on to one mantra. When life gives you lemons, make it a Pat Cummins.
