Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 11 : For a nation where cricket is followed like a religion by millions, tennis-ball cricket sets the foundation for many. Every street sees young aspiring cricketers weave their dreams with a tennis ball. The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) has been giving those dreams a platform to shine.
In its ongoing second edition, the league has captivated the attention from across the country while bringing together a spectacular mix of young talent and experienced campaigners. With the playoffs set to fire up the season 2, Dadoji Kondadev Stadium in Thane sees excitement rising day by day.
Among the many greats who were impressed by the exceptional talent and format of the league is Rohit Sharma's childhood coach Dinesh Lad. A former cricketer and Dronacharya Awardee, Dinesh Lad hails the importance of tennis-ball cricket in a cricketer's formative years and the potential the league holds for players.
"The league has been very exciting so far. Seeing the players play in ISPL, I can only wish if such a league existed in our time as well. Tennis-ball cricket is a difficult sport and like many, I also started my journey playing tennis-ball cricket. I like to train budding players with a tennis ball initially so as to help them hone their skills," Lad said, as quoted from a release by ISPL.
"Tennis-ball cricket is vital for the growth of a cricketer. Most cricketers start playing with a tennis ball and you can play with it during the rainy season as well. It helps a cricketer better their shots, especially the batsmen to better their pull-shots, among others," he added.
Lad, who trained India captain Rohit Sharma in his childhood days, reflected on the impact tennis-ball cricket had on him.
"He used to practice with a wet tennis ball; it would skid down the lane. The way Rohit plays straight shots and then pull shots, I think it was his practice with a tennis ball that helped him better his shots," Lad said.
Lad, who started as a bowler with a tennis ball in his early days before transitioning to leather ball, sees ISPL as a great starter for budding cricketers.
"There are already various tournaments in leather ball cricket, but it is great to see a tennis ball league like ISPL being organized for the second consecutive year. Credit goes to Suraj Samat for initiating this league. There was a time we felt like tennis-ball cricket was over. I also used to bowl well during my days with a tennis ball, but my performance got affected when I transitioned to a leather ball. I think now, it's a good opportunity for the players to do better as the league progresses," he said.
On being asked whether tennis cricket leagues like ISPL has the potential to give India players like Rohit Sharma in future, Lad said the potential cannot be denied.
"There are possibilities that the league can produce great players who can play at the national as well as international levels. We've witnessed some great action, especially the bowlers have been restricting the batsmen to play big shots. In countries like West Indies, tennis cricket enjoys great popularity. Even great players like Vivian Richards also transitioned from tennis-ball cricket. If one does well consistently, then there is potential. I personally think the league carries more potential for the batsmen as they can better their pull shots, square cut etc. with a tennis ball," Lad said .
In its second season, ISPL has seen some great action from the players. Since its start on January 26, the six teams have been locking their horns for some hard-hitting display of tennis ball-cricket as spectators cheered for their favourites. With the Qualifier 1 scheduled for February 12 between Majhi Mumbai and Falcon Risers Hyderabad, fans can look forward to a thrilling penultimate showdown. The season 2 will culminate with the grand final on February 15.