How a cricket enthusiast is helping Tendulkar, Dravid in nets

Canberra: As he prepares for the gruelling Test series against Australia, Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar has been practising with a “cricket enthusiast”, who has not even played a first-class game, during his net sessions. DVGI Raghavindraa, listed as an “attendant” by the BCCI, is man Tendulkar and even Rahul Dravid trust when it comes to his throw-down skills during the nets. [caption id=“attachment_159644” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“As he prepares for the gruelling Test series against Australia, Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar has been practising with a “cricket enthusiast”, who has not even played a first-class game, during his net sessions. Getty Images”]  [/caption] “Raghavindraa booked his ticket to Australia not through a torrent of runs or a bag of wickets but for his throw-down skills. And, it’s believed, he has come with strong recommendations from Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid,” said the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’. The 27-year-old is an employee at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. Raghavindraa threw down outswingers to Tendulkar during yesterday’s net session. “After a rare ball did not find the middle of Tendulkar’s bat, he had the gumption to ask Test cricket’s leading run-scorer whether he had committed too early to the shot. A swift ’no’ was the response. “On another occasion, Tendulkar nodded with approval at one that seamed back. ‘A good ball, but I didn’t play it,’ Tendulkar said,” the newspaper reported. Tendulkar is chasing a record 100th international hundred during the series. PTI