Srinagar: Focussed and trying every method, visiting Australia Gets squad has started their training in India for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series.
In the process the Australia squad have called up top local spinners from various parts of India to bowl at their batters.
However, it is the roping up of a spinner who bowls similar in action to India’s ace spinner R Ashwin and is being termed as Duplicate Ashwin.
Mahesh Pithiya, a young cricketer who recently made his Ranji debut was first acknowledged as someone who bowls like Ashwin, by Australia cricketer Matthew Renshaw while the Indian bowled to him in their training session at KSCA Stadium in Bengaluru.
Later, Smith pounced on the opportunity to hone his skills by negotiating Pithiya’s deliveries.
Pithiya who hails from Junagadh in Saurashtra is locally quite famous for his bowling action which is similar to Ashwin’s. He impersonates Ashwin’s load-up, delivery stride and release and bowls with a similar wrist position as his idol. It was this very quality that brought him into picture and the Australian team got him flown to Bengaluru as a net bowler.
A video of Pithiya bowling to Smith in trademark Ashwin style in the nets, has been shared by Cricbuzz correspondent Bharat Sundaresan and has attracted attention of everyone on Twitter.
In 18 Test matches against Australia, R Ashwin has picked 89 wickets which includes five 5-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul. He has dismissed the likes of current crop of Australia stars- Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, quite a number of times.
Team Australia are set to play a four-Test series against India as part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in February-March.The first Test between the two teams will start from February 09 at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.