Xtra Time Web Desk: Mumbai Indians’ young pacer Akash Madhwal created quite a stir during the IPL 2023 Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday night. The cricketer from Uttarakhand bowled a match winning spell (3.3-0-5-5) to power his side to 81 runs win against Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2023 Eliminator at Chepauk, The youngster had also caught the eyes of everyone during the league games against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans.
Whether it’s with the new ball or in the crucial end overs, Akash has become Rohit Sharma’s go-to bowler, after both Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer got injured.
Let us look at the inspiring journey of Akash Madhwal. The engineer turned cricketer used to play tennis ball cricket even four years back and had never touched a red ball. It was during the trials in 2019 that he caught the attention of the then Uttarakhand coach Wasim Jaffer, as well as the present coach, Manish Jha.
It was Jha’s guidance and mentorship which helped Akash understand the significance of bowling quick and straight. Through consistent practice and feedback, Akash began to grasp the concept, and the results soon followed.
What followed was a fairytale run for Madhwal in the domestic season and ahead of the 2023 domestic season, the fast bowler was rewarded for his efforts as Uttarakhand named him the white-ball skipper.
Akash became the first cricketer from Uttarakhand to play in the IPL after he was picked by Mumbai Indians in 2022 as a replacement for the injured Suryakumar Yadav. Whether it is with the new ball or in the crucial end overs, Akash has become Rohit Sharma’s go-to bowler, showcasing his versatility and ability to handle pressure situations.
Madhwal also has an interesting connection with India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant. Both hail from Roorkee and trained under Avtar Singh, the cricket coach who trained Pant before he moved to Delhi.
The young cricketer from Uttarakhand has defied the odds and made a name for himself will be a source of inspiration many more budding cricketers.