Naman Tiwari, who is part of India's squad at the ongoing U19 World Cup, aspires to deliver the fastest ball ever bowled, drawing motivation from studying footage of cricket legends and heeding the advice of pace maestro Jasprit Bumrah.
At just 18 years old, Naman, the left-arm paceman from Lucknow, has been making waves in the ongoing U19 World Cup. His interactions with Bumrah at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) have proven invaluable, as he incorporates the guidance into his game, particularly evident in his notable performance against Ireland, where he secured a four-wicket haul.
Naman's proficiency in delivering yorkers and his impressive pace have posed significant challenges for opposing batters, resulting in his tally of 10 wickets thus far. As he anticipates the upcoming title clash against Australia on Sunday, his determination to excel and make a mark in the cricketing world remains resolute.
"Bumrah is a source of inspiration for us. I watch his bowling videos a lot. I have met him several times at NCA and talked to him a lot about the mentality and skills of a bowler," Naman told PTI Bhasha on the sidelines of a practice session at Willowmoore Park Stadium in South Africa.
"He has explained a lot (of things to me), which is useful. He told me how to bowl accurate yorkers, and I have worked a lot (on that aspect) following his advice. I have to work hard to bring more aggression in this (my bowling),” he said.
"I try to learn something from every bowler I like. I try to understand and learn by watching his (Bumrah's ) videos. I like Shoaib Akhtar's speed, Dale Steyn's swing and Mitchell Starc's aggression very much," he said.
Naman originally wanted to become a batter but fewer opportunities turned him to bowling.
"I started playing cricket as a batsman but I was not getting many chances. That's why I started bowling at an academy in Lucknow...I became a left-arm fast bowler," he said.
Growing up in a middle-class family, Naman faced considerable pressure to prioritize academics, as his father worked as an LIC agent. However, despite the expectations, Naman's passion lay in cricket.
1/10:From Virat Kohli to Ravindra Jadeja: The U-19 World Cup stars who made it big
<p>Read more on TOI Sports</p>AFP
2/10:SUPERSTARS
<p>Over the years, many players who have done well at the U-19 World Cup have graduated to the senior stage with spectacular success. TOI takes a look…<br /></p>Getty Images
3/10:ONE MORE TIME
<p>India’s under-19 cricketers have once again reached the final of the World Cup. This Sunday in Benoni in South Africa, Uday Saharan and Co. will have the opportunity to lift the title one more time. This is the ninth time India’s junior cricketers have reached the final, a record. <br /></p>Agencies
4/10:VIRAT KOHLI
<p>The biggest contribution the U-19 World Cup has had on Indian cricket is the emergence of Virat Kohli. It was in 2008 that Virat led India to their second U-19 WC title in Malaysia, where his team defeated South Africa in the final. <br /></p>AFP
5/10:YUVRAJ SINGH
<p>In the first indication that he was ready for many match-winning exploits at the senior level, Yuvraj Singh helped India to their maiden U-19 World Cup title in 2000. The southpaw was a vital cog in the Mohammad Kaif-led side that defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final in Colombo. <br /></p>Getty Images
6/10:VIRENDER SEHWAG
<p>One of Indian cricket’s batting greats, Sehwag featured in the 1998 edition of the event in South Africa. More than his batting, Sehwag delivered with his off-spin, snaring seven wickets at a stingy economy-rate of 3.36. India didn’t make the final but Sehwag’s all-round skills got a lot of attention.<br /></p>Agencies
7/10:HARBHAJAN SINGH
<p>Off-spinner Harbhajan also impressed in the 1998 edition, picking up eight wickets at an average of 21.12 and an economy rate of 3.44. Harbhajan had telling contributions in all five Indian victories. Soon after, Harbhajan made his Test debut for India against Australia in Bangalore.<br /></p>AFP
8/10:ROHIT SHARMA
<p>Batting at No. 3, India’s current captain hit three half-centuries in six innings at the 2006 U-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka. He tallied 205 runs at an average of 41. India managed to reach the final but lost to Pakistan by 38 runs. He also shone with his off-spin, picking up four wickets.<br /></p>Getty Images
9/10:'ROCKSTAR' JADEJA
<p>The ‘Rockstar’ allrounder was involved in two U-19 World Cups –in 2006, in which India lost in the final, and the other in 2008, when India won under Kohli’s leadership. <br /></p>Agencies
10/10:CHETESHWAR PUJARA
<p>Very few would believe Cheteshwar Pujara once scored runs at a faster clip than Rohit Sharma. This happened in the 2006 U-19 World Cup when Pujara, opening the batting, notched up 349 runs in six innings at a strikerate of 82.11. <br /></p>Agencies"Papa always told me to focus on studies. I was in seventh standard and wanted to play cricket. I asked my father to give me three years' time to prove myself in cricket. My family is very happy with my success today,” said Naman.
"Papa calls me every evening. Seeing them (family) happy makes me feel very good that I did not disappoint them," he said.
Naman's aspiration is to evolve into a formidable fast bowler and represent India in Test cricket.
"One day I want to bowl the fastest ball in the world. I also want to play the World Cup with the senior team. But for now, I have to focus on performance. I want to continuously improve my game because the challenges will be even bigger in the future and I will have to prepare my base to face them," he said.
Expressing contentment with the team's progress thus far in the U19 World Cup, Naman attributed their success to collective team effort.
"So far, the performance of all the players has been very good. Especially in the semifinals against South Africa, we showed tremendous spirit. I am very happy with the way we are playing and will try to maintain this momentum in the final also," he said.
"Although I like all formats, I find Test cricket the most challenging. That's where the real test of a bowler lies and I want to become a good Test cricketer in the future," said the youngster.
(With PTI inputs)
