Vicky Ostwal’s capacity to generate flip and bounce has made him an asset for India on the ongoing ICC U-19 World Cup. Add to it his pinpoint accuracy and it’s no shock that the left-arm spinner has troubled all of the groups within the competitors.
The Indian crew was affected by a Covid-19 outbreak however Ostwal is without doubt one of the few gamers to have performed all of the matches. The lanky teenager is third on the wicket-takers’ record with 12 scalps in 5 video games, together with a fifer in opposition to South Africa.
Going again in time, his coach Mohan Jadhav, who has watched Ostwal from shut quarters for the previous 10 years, tells The Indian Express: “He hates going for a run. He is a spinner, but has the mentality of a fast bowler. He is six feet tall and because of his height, causes trouble for batsmen with his bounce.”
Just met the @BCCI Under19 crew right here in Port-of-Spain, and the “Future Stars” of cricket.Vicky Ostwal is one! #ICCU19CWC @RaviShastriOfc Ravi, you’ll be impressed! pic.twitter.com/aYO8qmDQws
— Alan Wilkins (@alanwilkins22) January 17, 2022
Jadhav, who can be the coach of opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, explains how Ostwal has improved as a bowler.
“He is from this Indian Premier League (IPL) generation. He grew up watching IPL, and till his U-16 days, his only focus was to bowl wicket-to-wicket. You can’t blame a 15-year-old, who is afraid of getting hit,” remembers Jadhav.
He says it took Ostwal two years so as to add extra variations to his bowling. “In an U-16 match, he bowled some 20 overs and gave away 35 or 40 runs and took two wickets. I just told him he could bowl with more freedom. He might have ended up with a five-wicket haul,” remembers the coach.
During an interview for the International Cricket Council (ICC), Ostwal stated that there is no such thing as a substitute for a very good work ethic and self-discipline, and he have to be affected person and belief the method.
Vicky Ostwal is the first-bowler from India to take five-wicket haul in U-19 World Cup 2022. pic.twitter.com/ErUMUxPxYG
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 16, 2022
In 2019, he was a web bowler for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). One of his fondest recollections is getting Shane Watson out. He says, “I was thrilled when I got him out. It was in the nets, but I will still take it.”
With time, Ostwal began to provide the ball extra air, and located that drift and switch.
“That CSK camp helped him a lot. He had a long chat with Imran Tahir, and was a different bowler when he returned. With more variations, it became more difficult for batsmen to negotiate him. He will not give an inch because of his high-arm action. He forces batsmen to take risks, and this is where he deceives them. Even in this (U-19 World Cup) tournament, you can see batsmen getting out trying to play him against the spin. The top edge and LBW will always be in play when he is bowling,” says Jadhav.
The coach considers the wicket of Australian batsman Tobias Snell one of the best among the many 12 wickets Ostwal has picked within the match.
“He set up that batsman (Snell) beautifully. First ball of the over, a bit of turn, he guided it towards midwicket and took two runs. The next ball was another length ball on off stump, but there was more turn. Third ball, he again played across the line and pushed for a single to short midwicket. Fifth ball, same length, he goes for an inside-out shot. Last ball of the over – a straight one, no turn, he misses, and it hits the top of off-stump,” Jadhav shares the main points.
“I immediately texted him that now you are a complete package,” he provides.
