Ian Bishop Calls India U19 Leg-Spinner Ravi Bishnoi A 'Wizard'
Published - 06 Feb 2020, 03:10 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:03 AM
Former West Indies cricketer-turned-commentator Ian Bishop has lauded Indian U19 bowler Ravi Bishnoi for his consistent performances at the ongoing Under-19 World Cup in South Africa.
While Yashshasvi Jaiswal and Kartik Tyagi’s names are on everyone’s lips, Bishnoi has been quietly doing his business, helping India reach their third straight U19 World Cup final. Such has been the youngster’s impact that the Indian colts are unbeaten in this edition of the World Cup.
The leg-spinner Bishnoi is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament so far, scalping 13 wickets in five matches. His brilliant performances haven’t gone unnoticed though, as Bishop praises the 19-year-old during India’s semifinal clash against Pakistan.
Ian Bishop Hails India U19 Bowler Ravi Bishnoi, Calls Leggie A ‘Wizard’
Bishnoi has played a crucial role in the Indian colts’ winning run to the final of the U19 World Cup. He earned the tag of a ‘Wizard’ from former West Indies bowler Bishop due to his deceptive googlies.
The youngster provided the Indian colts with their second wicket in the semifinal versus Pakistan, by dismissing Fahad Munir.
Later, Bishop enthused, “This kid is a wizard,” when Bishnoi beat Pakistani skipper Rohail Nazir on his first delivery. The right-arm leggie finished his spell with figures reading two for 46 in his quota of 10 overs.
However, it was Sushant Mishra who troubled the Pakistani team the most, as he collected three wickets in his 8.1 overs, and gave away just 23 runs.
The Indian colts were able to bowl out their arch-rivals for just 172 runs. They later chased down the target courtesy of Yashasvi Jaiswal match-winning century.
The Indian U19 team will now face the winner from the second semifinal between New Zealand and Bangladesh.
Bishnoi will be expected to recreate his magic in the final again, and take India to their second successive World Cup triumph.
Furthermore, the future looks bright for Bishnoi. Earlier, this year Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) has availed his services after shelling out INR two crore.
