New Delhi: Wednesday evening was special for Badruddin Siddiqui. Two of his wards, whom he has trained since they were teenagers, were bowling together for Lucknow Supergiants (LSG) against Delhi Capitals at the Ekna Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.Mohammad Shami dismissed KL Rahul on his first ball. Mohsin Naqvi bowled a wicket maiden, dismissing Nitish Rana, and player of the match Samir Rizvi, his Uttar Pradesh teammate, was in search of runs. Mohsin conceded six runs in his first three overs, and Rizvi managed just two in the 10 balls he faced. Tristan Stubbs managed to score four runs off six balls against the left-arm fast bowlers.
Mohsin Rizvi and was on stubs, but for Badruddin, it wasn’t his bowling that impressed him the most. On the fifth ball of the 12th over, the 27-year-old made a powerful dive at third man to save two runs. Mohsin’s attempt made Badruddin jump from his sofa.“Now it is over. (He’s not scared anymore),” Badruddin tells TimesofIndia.com. “If a fast bowler whose career has been marred by injuries is diving into the field, it only means one thing. He is extremely fit,” he explains.
It’s his fault. He is a gifted athlete. But nowadays youngsters have this hobby of gym and posting videos on social media.
Badruddin Siddiqui | coach
After breaking into the limelight in IPL 2022, where he took 14 wickets in 10 matches with an impressive economy rate of 5.96, he was close to an India call-up but suffered a serious shoulder injury and did not play any competitive cricket for the entire year. He was not fit for the first half of IPL 2023, but made a brilliant comeback by defending 11 runs in the last over against Mumbai Indians.In the last four years, he suffered a career-threatening shoulder injury, a groin injury, and the worst came when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee while playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Mohsin Khan of Lucknow Supergiants bowls during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 cricket match between Lucknow Supergiants and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. (PTI Photo/Supan Mahapatra)
Badruddin says, “Injuries become a part of any fast bowler. But Mohsin has been a bit unlucky.”Fortunately, in all these frustrating years, he has Muhammad Shami towards him. Mohsin lives in Shami’s farmhouse in Alinagar, Bihar.“Right from the start, Shami has helped him a lot. It was during the lockdown that he started living and training with Shami in his farmhouse. The results are there for all to see in IPL 2022,” says Badruddin.
A fast bowler should train on the ground. If you want to bowl at 140 kmph, you have to grind on the field. (The gym won’t improve your bowling)
Badruddin Siddiqui | coach
Badruddin blames Mohsin’s lifestyle for his downfall and his injuries.“It’s his fault. He’s a talented athlete. But these days, youngsters have this passion for gyms and posting videos on social media,” he says.Badruddin shares a conversation between Shami and Mohsin after the IPL last year.
LUCKNOW: Lucknow Supergiants player Mohsin Khan was injured during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match between Lucknow Supergiants and Kolkata Knight Riders at Bharat Ratnashree Atal Behari Vajpayee Ekna Cricket Stadium, Lucknow. (PTI Photo/Shahbaz Khan)
“We were drinking tea at Shami’s farmhouse, and Mohsin was just coming out of the gym. I remember Shami’s words, ‘Mohsin Mian, the body will be made from the gym, not bowling.’ (Gym can shape your body, not your bowling),” laughs Badruddin.Shami’s harsh remark shocked Mohsin. “His jaw dropped,” recalls Badruddin.“A fast bowler should train on the ground. If you want to bowl at 140 kmph, you have to grind on the field. Bowling doesn’t improve from the gym (you won’t bowl better in the gym),” he says.Mohsin is six feet three inches tall, and Badruddin feels that his tough length speeds up the batsmen more than Shami.
Mohsin Mian, Gym will shape body, not bowling (Gym can shape your body, not your bowling).
Mohammad Shami to Mohsin Khan
“Mohsin is tall and his ball climbs faster than Shami. You tell me how many left-arm fast bowlers can swing the ball both ways at 140 kmph and produce such a bounce. There is nobody in India at the moment,” he praises his ward.What Mohsin has done in the last twelve months is to go back to basics. “He runs, bowls, and trains tirelessly,” Shami shouted from behind.India to play or not? (Do you want to play for India or not?)In these months they have also realized the importance of fitness. He is 27 years old and at best he can play for five to six more years but if he improves his fitness he can extend it by another two years.
Chennai: Lucknow Supergiants’ Mohsin Khan during a practice session against Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match. (PTI Photo/R Senthal Kumar)
Mohsin has not only changed his lifestyle in these months under Shami’s leadership, but he has also worked on his bowling.“He’s worked on his wrist position. He’s added a few more steps to his run-up. It’s helped him get more rhythm,” he says.
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But for Badruddin, the most satisfying part of Mohsin’s return to competitive cricket in nearly two years has been his fielding.“To this day we have not drowned in life (He had never dived in his life). The good thing is that she is no longer afraid,” he says.
