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Got Kohli LBW, Pujara bowled and Rahane caught: West Indies’ Rahkeem Cornwall recalls ‘basic off-spinners’
Representing President’s XI, Cornwall dismissed the pillars of India’s middle order – Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane in the same innings and immediately made heads turn in 2016.
Last year, West Indies off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall got his Test career off to a flying start as he dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara for his maiden Test wicket. But it may pale in comparison to what he achieved in a warm-up match against India in 2016. Representing President’s XI, Cornwall dismissed the pillars of India’s middle order – Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane in the same innings and immediately made heads turn.
In fact, Cornwall’s impact was such that Kohli called for the off-spinner to bowl to India in the nets ahead of the Test series. Not many have been able to do what Cornwall achieved that day, and even though the burly off-spinner is thought highly of by the West Indies cricket board, scalping the big three of Indian Test cricket is a tale he will one day narrate to his grandkids.
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“That was in a President’s XI game in St Kitts. I got a five-wicket haul in that game as well. I got Kohli lbw and Rahane caught bat-pad. They were basic off-spin deliveries with just a little bit of bounce. I also got Pujara bowled in that match - he was attempting a sweep shot,” Cornwall told ESPNCricinfo.
“I see it as a breakthrough moment for me where one of the best batsmen in the world is asking for me to come to bowl to him in the nets. You learn a lot. A lot of patience, [that you need to] stick to line and length consistently rather than being all over the place.”
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Fast forward to 2019, and Cornwall once again gets the mighty Pujara, who is all class against spinners. Batting on 6 off 24, to a slightly short ball, Pujara rocked back, attempting to cut it, but all the batsman managed was a top edge for Shamarh Brooks to take a fine catch at backward point.
“He is a player that plays spin well. He looks to use his feet to the spinners. So basically, I was trying to keep him in the crease, and I got a little bit of bounce and he cut it to backward point. Probably catch I’m a little bit off guard in terms of the bounce, yeah,” Cornwall said.
