Mayank Markande gets maiden India call-up

CHANDIGARH: The day couldn't have gone better for Punjab's leg-spinner Mayank Markande as picking up five wickets to help India A register an innings and 68 runs win over England A in Mysore to get a maiden call-up to the Indian squad. Patiala lad has been selected for the India's T20 squad for the home series against Australia.
"Mat pucho (Don't ask). I have 42 missed calls and more than 300 unread messages to attend to.I was not expecting it," Markande told TOI.
"I am still in shock. It will take some time to sink in. I was in the hotel room and suddenly my phone starting buzzing. I will cherish this moment my entire life. I was not expecting this call," he added.
Past 15 month has been a roller-coaster ride for Markande. From an unknown cricketer happy just to keep his spot in the state side, the 21-year-old went on to make his debut in List-A, T20, IPL, and Ranji Trophy within a year and turn into one of the promising wrist spinners in the country. The leggie was highest wicket taker for Punjab in his debut Ranji Trophy season, with 29 scalps in just six matches at an average of 23.24.
Markande, 21, is one of the true IPL (Indian Premier League) products. Picked up from nowhere in the 2018 auction for Rs 20 lakh after he impressed the Mumbai Indians' think tank in the pre-auction trials, he won the confidence of captain Rohit Sharma in the nets, to be thrown into the deep end straightaway.
He trapped the great MS Dhoni leg before wicket on a sharp googly on his debut. His franchise got more that its money's worth, as Markande picked up 15 wickets in 14 matches. "The stint with Mumbai Indians has helped me a lot as a player and a person," the tweaker said. "Rohit bhai and the team management backed me from the word go."
Markande's dream run hopefully open up new vistas, but with success comes responsibility. However, the young lad is in no mood to get carried away. "I have to work harder now as my journey had just begun," says Markande, brimming with confidence.
During his Punjab U-14 days, Markande was a fast bowler. Not quick enough, his coach Munish Bali advised him to worked on his back-of-the-hand slower delivery and became a leg-spinner.
"Balis sir told me fast bowler banne ka sapna chhor de (Stop dreaming of becoming a fast bowler). I did not have the physique. That advice turned out to be a blessing. I would have been only an average pacer," said Markande, who owes his success to Munish Bali. Bali was the manager of India U-19 team which won the world cup in 2008.
Reacting on the selection of his ward to the Indian cricket team, Bali recollects: "It took him some time to realise fast bowling was not his cup of tea. But he develops very sharp googly and he is quite accurate. Thanks to the way he delivers the ball and the control he has with his variations, he could be unstoppable," said Bali.