'Arey coach hai woh': Nagpur police stop India's most experienced member from entering team hotel

In a video that has now gone viral, two police personnel in front of the Radisson Blu hotel in Nagpur could not recognise Raghu, India's throwdown specialist.

Raghavendra Dwivedi, Team India's most experienced support staff member, who was handpicked by Sachin Tendulkar back in 2011 and slowly became one of the most popular members of the team, was stopped by police personnel from entering the team hotel in Nagpur on Monday.

Police trying to stop Raghu

In a video that has now gone viral, two police personnel in front of the Radisson Blu hotel in Nagpur could not recognise Raghavendra, popularly known as 'Raghu'. They were seen stopping Raghu from making his way into the hotel, mistaking him for an introducer.

The video journalists recording the proceedings started shouting "Arey coach hai who. Team ke saath hai. Bus see utra hai. (He's a coach... member of the team. He just deboarded the bus).

Raghu, who is always known to sport a smile, handled the situation pretty well. After a brief period, he was allowed to go through.

Raghu plays an instrumental role in shaping the success of the Indian cricket team. As the throwdown specialist, his work behind the scenes has proven to be pivotal in ensuring the team’s batting strength is at its peak.

Raghu, a key member of the Indian team’s support staff, delivers precise throwdowns to the batsmen, simulating various match situations. His expertise lies in replicating deliveries from fast bowlers, spinners, and even bouncing balls, helping players adapt to different conditions and challenges they might face during an actual match.

Raghu’s career began modestly. Once a cricketer himself, The Karnataka man was unable to fulfil his dream after a fracture in his hand cut his professional playing career short. However, his love for the game led him to pursue a different path, one that would ultimately see him play a major supporting role in India’s cricketing success. Raghu's incredible work ethic and ability to generate speeds in excess of 150 in throwdown got him into the Karnataka state team. He soon became a favourite of the players coming to NCA and on Tenduljar's recommendation, he became a regular part of India's support staff.

What sets Raghu apart from other throwdown specialists is his ability to vary his deliveries. Whether it's a short ball or a yorker, he tailors his throwdowns to each batsman's specific needs, helping them improve their shot selection and mental readiness. His work has been crucial in preparing India’s top-order players, such as MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill, among others, to face some of the world’s best bowlers.