5 days ago
Meet 12-year-old Dubai pace bowler who bowls with both arms
Dubai resident Ramprasad Dommaraju, a former club cricketer in Chennai, India, could not believe his eyes when his then six-year-old son, Mahidhaar, ran into bowl with a classical left-arm action while playing cricket in the backyard.
'I didn't know how to react as my son always bowled right-arm pace,' Ramprasad recalled.
"He is a natural right-hander. He does everything with his right hand. So to see him suddenly bowl left-arm with the same action and speed was unbelievable. It was like watching Mitchell Starc with that high-arm action"
Mahidhaar is now 12, taking a truckload of wickets in age-group tournaments not only in the UAE, but also in Oman and Sri Lanka.
But what's even more remarkable is that he has made amazing progress as an ambidextrous bowler — sometimes changing from right-arm pace to left-arm pace in the same over, leaving batters in a helpless position.
'There is no one else like him in the UAE,' Ramprasad said.
Lankan mystery
To put things in perspective, Kamindu Mendis, the Sri Lankan batter who has made a terrific start to his Test career with a string of big scores, is the only player in international cricket who could bowl with both arms.
Last month, Mendis bowled a match-winning spell (5-0-19-3) in a one-day international against Bangladesh when he got two wickets with his left-arm spin and one with right-arm off-break.
The Sri Lankan also became the first bowler in IPL (Indian Premier League) history earlier this year when he bowled with both hands during a match between the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders.
'But Mendis is a spinner, there are few such spinners in cricket-playing countries across the world. But it's extremely rare to find a pace bowler who could bowl with both arms with the same speed,' Ramprasad said.
Son of acclaimed Tamil actor, Nalinikanth, Ramprasad also checked with his friends in Indian cricket to see if they had come across young ambidextrous pace bowlers.
'One of my friends worked in the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), and he told me that they have never found a bowler who could bowl pace with both arms. There are a few spinners, but no such pace bowler has been discovered until now in India,' he said.
Curious case of Yasir
Across the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, Yasir Jan made headlines for his ability to bowl quick with both left arm and right arm.
Such was his talent that Lahore Qalandars, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise, gave the youngster a 10-year development contract in 2016. But unable to cope with some serious injury setbacks, Yasir has since faded into oblivion.
Muhammad Ijaz, a former Pakistani first-class cricketer, is now carefully monitoring the progress of Mahidhaar, giving a lot of importance to his fitness.
'I have taught him a few things in terms of technique, but we are also making sure he improves his fitness. He works very hard and he is very passionate about cricket,' said Ijaz, who is now coaching youngsters at Desert Cubs Cricket Academy in the UAE.
A former teammate of Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim, Ijaz is truly amazed by the unique skills of Mahidhaar.
'In all my years of playing cricket and coaching youngsters, I have seen a few spinners who bowl with both arms. But I had never seen a pace bowler who could bowl both right arm and left arm until I met this kid,' he said.
'Mahi is unique. Spinners I can understand because they are slow bowlers, but to do this while bowling fast is unbelievable.'
Mahidhaar, who never raises his voice above a whisper, is dreaming of playing for India as well as for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the IPL franchise for which his idol, Virat Kohli, plays.
'He has great potential, and I think in two or three years' time, we could see him play at a high level. But, of course, a lot of work needs to be done, and he needs to continue working hard on his game,' Ijaz said.
Strong family support
Apart from his strengths as an ambidextrous pace bowler who bowls a beautiful inswinger and his newfound ability to hit sixes with the bat, Mahidhaar's greatest advantage is his supportive family.
Despite being without a job, Ramprasad has left no stone unturned in his attempts to give Mahidhaar the best opportunities as a rising cricketer.
'I don't have a job now, so it's been very difficult. My wife (Shalini Ramprasad) is a dentist, but you know how tough it is. We have faced a lot of challenges, but we have never made any compromises when it comes to our son's cricketing dreams,' Ramprasad said.
Coach Ijaz also acknowledges that the unwavering support from the parents has played the biggest role in Mahidhaar's promising career.
'Yes, his biggest advantage is his parents, who are so supportive. They also bring him to the ground on weekdays. Normally, you see kids in the UAE training only at weekends, but his father always brings him to the ground. That's really commendable,' Ijaz said.
Can Mahidhaar repay the faith by playing at the highest level of cricket?
"His skills as an ambidextrous pace bowler might give him an advantage," said Ramprasad, who is planning to take his son to India for domestic trials in the future.
Ijaz, on the other hand, keeps his fingers crossed.
'Well, he has a long way to go, but he is unique. He is a very talented kid,' Ijaz said.
'He came to our academy as a bowling all-rounder, but his father asked me if I could also improve his batting. I taught him a few things, and his batting has now improved a lot. He scored three back-to-back half-centuries in a tournament. He is a quick learner and, as a coach, you always feel a sense of optimism with such kids!'
