Bhargav torments WI with ball

VADODARA: He had sensed that something was wrong when he managed to pick up just five wickets in 2011-12 after bagging a record 47 wickets in the previous season. He went back to nets, consulted Baroda Ranji coach Sanath Kumar and began working on his action. His efforts yielded rich results as Baroda spinner Bhargav Bhatt announced his comeback in style against the West Indies A team.
Bhatt, who was picked up for India A squad that is playing against West Indies (WI), bagged seven wickets in an innings over last two days. The left arm spinner ran through the WI team at Shimoga as the visitors were bowled out for 406 runs. Bhatt took seven wickets by giving away 113 runs in 30.5 overs.
His performance has just come in nick of time ahead of the Ranji season and his confidence may well help Baroda perform well this season. "When he couldn't perform in 2011-12, he came to me and we discussed about his action. He took off for a while and worked hard towards his action. Bhatt was desperate to perform well," said Baroda coach Sanath Kumar. Kumar told TOI that Bhatt's action had changed a bit due to T20 cricket. "His arm was coming off bit lower due to bowling in T20 cricket games where bowlers tend to push the ball harder. Playing in four-day match is a different ball-game and his action was not helping him spin the ball and get wickets.
Now, his arm comes from higher side and that helps him in spinning and dipping the ball better, His commitment has been fantastic and it is getting him results, " Kumar added.
Bhargav not only broke the opening partnership of 55 runs between K C Braithwite and KOA Powell but also kept taking wickets consistently. The feisty bowler had put up a brilliant performance in his debut first class season in 2010. Bhatt bagged 47 wickets from nine matches to become highest wicket-taker of the season.
However, the selectors dropped Bhatt for a couple of Ranji matches in the very next season citing poor performance. In 2012-13 Ranji season, he bagged 29 wickets in nine matches at an economy rate of 2.86.