‘Maine Smith ko 5-6 baar out kiya’: Mahesh Pithiya reveals Australia training details ahead of Nagpur Test

The Australian cricket team has taken drastic measures to prepare for the looming threat of Ravichandran Ashwin in the upcoming Border Gavaskar series. Led by Pat Cummins, the team has invited Baroda spinner Mahesh Pithiya to their training camp to gain a comprehensive understanding of how to tackle Ashwin’s formidable bowling. With Pithiya’s expertise, the Australians are hoping to gain the upper hand in the series and come out on top.

Pithiya has earned the nickname “Ashwin’s Duplicate” due to his uncanny resemblance to the Indian bowling legend. Ashwin is India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history, with an impressive 449 wickets to his name. The 36-year-old has been particularly successful against Australia in the longest format of the game, having taken a total of 89 wickets in 18 Test matches. His record on Indian soil is even more impressive, with 50 wickets in eight games.

Steve Smith practiced Mahesh Pithiya bowling who’s a quite similar bowler like Ashwin. #BorderGavaskarTrophy#INDvsAUS #INDvAUSpic.twitter.com/BVVadbk6RV
— Drink Cricket  (@Abdullah__Neaz) February 3, 2023

Pithiya provided an insider’s view of Australia’s training, which helped them combat the Ashwin threat, which is likely to be the deciding factor of the series. The talented Baroda spinner divulged that he dismissed Australian vice-captain and star batter Steve Smith five to six times on the very first day.

“Maine pahle din hi Steve Smith ko 5 se 6 baar out kiya thaa nets mein (I had got Smith out at least six times in the nets on first day),” Pithiya told news Agency PTI. 

He also discussed how he interacted with Ashwin’s tweet and how former India captain Virat Kolhi reacted to meeting him.

“Today I got blessings from my idol. I have always wanted to bowl like him. When I am met him as he was entering the nets, I touched his feet and sought his blessings. He hugged me and then asked what exactly am I bowling to the Australians. Virat Kohli also smiled at me and gestured thumbs up and wished me luck,” he added.

This season, Pithiya made his Ranji Trophy debut, playing four first-class matches for Baroda. In these four games, he managed to take eight wickets, demonstrating his impressive bowling prowess. Last year, the 21-year-old also made an appearance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy season, playing one T20 for his state. Pithiya’s impressive performances in both tournaments have made him a promising prospect in the world of cricket.

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