Yash Thakur making the ball talk

NAGPUR: Five years ago, when a 13-year-old boy walked into

Pravin Hinganikar

Cricket Academy, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do - batting, bowling or wicketkeeping.

As cricket is more of a batsman's game, he opted for batting. He performed decently with the bat in a couple of tournaments but later realized it's the fast bowling that excited him more. He had a mixed action. Academy coaches Hinganikar, a former Vidarbha skipper, and

Nitin Kanhere

worked on his action.

Five years later, Yash Thakur is the spearhead of Vidarbha colts. He is making the ball talk with his swing, bouncers and yorkers. The 17-year-old was among the top five wicket-takers after the league phase of the Vinoo Mankad Under-19 One-day tournament. The youngster picked up 12 wickets in five matches at an impressive average of 14.25 and economy of 4.08 to help Vidarbha emerge runners-up. His performance earned him a place in the India Red squad for the Challenger Trophy. India Red emerged victorious.

It was Yash's skills with the ball that impressed the Central Zone selectors who picked him up for the

Zonal Cricket Academy

(ZCA). After that 30-day summer camp in Nagpur, Yash was a different bowler. He performed outstandingly well in the Under-19 Dhruv Pandav Trophy to help Vidarbha reach the final. Vidarbha recorded an outright victory over Mumbai in the semifinal where Yash picked up a hat-trick.

"When I look at the bowler, I look for the X-factor. This boy certainly has that. He doesn't have height like Aditya Thakare but he certainly has that zip. For a 17-year-old, he has a very good bouncer. All these qualities excited me," former Rajasthan captain and bowling coach of Central Zone ZCA P Krishnakumar told TOI.

"He already had good basics. I worked on his follow through so that he could finish the action. Once, he was able to do that, he started generating more pace. He already had good inswinger, I taught him how to bowl an away going delivery. For outswinger, it's release that matters. You got to feel the ball. Yash feels the ball. He is a quick learner," Krishnakumar, who is now chief bowling coach of Chhattisgarh, said.

Yash has been bowling in all the situations. He is bowling with the new ball in Powerplays, comes back to chip in with a wicket or two when any partnership is going. He also bowls at the death. Yash is a kind of bowler any captain would want to have him in his side.

Former Madhya Pradesh seamer and now Under-19 coach Sanjay Pandey has also seen Yash in a couple of matches. The Vidarbha colts seamer has impressed the former India 'A' bowler. "I like his attitude. I saw him in Chandigarh and then during Vinoo Mankad tournament, he always goes for wickets. It's a good attitude to have as a fast bowler. He still has a long way to go but he is very promising. If he can take care of his body and keep doing what he is doing now, he definitely has the bright future," Pandey said.

Yash might have missed out on India Under-19 side for Asia Cup, he is certainly in scheme of things for the next World Cup in 2018.