Tharindu Kaushal the spin hope for the future
Many parents love to see their children showing an interest and passion for the game of cricket in their early days. Although for some parents such an interest can initially be a worrying factor and even a painful experience!
When Tharindu Kaushal took to the streets of Rathgama playing cricket with his friends his parents were aware that the kid has an enormous talent for the game. However with a need to support and bring up three school going children without a steady source of income the parents and even little Kaushal were not certain how far he would go.
Despite experiencing a difficult financial situation young Kaushal pursued his passion for the game at Devapathiraja College, Rathgama and was soon drafted into the Under-13 team. His talent was immense that within two years he had been a wicket-keeper,a fast bowler and finally an off spinner.
“I started off as Wicketkeeper, switched to a fast bowler and later started bowling off spin at the age of 13 after the school informed me that they will be sending three spinners to Colombo for selections. I quickly practiced the art of off spin bowling with my school coach Ranjana Lasantha and headed to Colombo for selections. At the selections I was successful and was drafted into a pool of spinners,” said Kaushal when the Sunday Times caught up with the promising youngster at the NCC ground.
From there on 21-year-old Tharindu Kaushal has never looked back. Today he represents Sri Lanka’s Premier Cricket champions, the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) and has already toured overseas with the Sri Lanka Under-19 team (for a World Cup in Australia) and with the Sri Lanka A team on numerous occasions. He has also been in the Sri Lanka National Squad in a home series against New Zealand and Bangladesh in 2012.
A right-arm off-break bowler, Tharindu has been one of Sri Lanka’s most successful bowlers in the domestic scene in the recent past. At school level Kaushal picked up 100 wickets in three successive years after which he was crowned the Bata-Sunday Times Emerging Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year. Graduating into the club circuit saw his success continue. He has captured over 50 wickets in the last two Premier Seasons for NCC and over 40 wickets in the Under-23 tournament last year.
Currently he is the leading wicket taker with 47 wickets in the ongoing Under-23 tournament where he has been instrumental in guiding NCC to the finals.
One of the reasons for his overwhelming success is his ability to bowl a perfect doosra. “I practiced this while I was playing for my school. Initially I had no control over it, but today I have perfected it and use it as one of my main weapons”. When asked how often he uses the doosra Kaushal said, “It all depends on the batsman and how well he plays me, reads me etc. According to Kaushal it is the doubt that he creates in the minds of the batsman (due to his ability to bowl the doosra) that enables him to get most of his wickets.
The soft spoken, mild mannered Kaushal however admits that his journey so far would never have been possible if not for the generous support he has received from his benefactors. Among them is non other than Kushil Gunasekera, the founding member of the Foundation of Goodness, a charitable Organisation that has been helping many cricketers and others and truly living up toits name.
“While I was in school I received a scholarship from Kushil’s charity and that helped me in a very big way. Not only to buy my cricket equipment but also to help me travel to Colombo frequently for training purposes. Today, my Club the NCC, helps me and I am also employed at MAS Active”.
“My school Coach Ranjana Lasantha and MIC Nishantha Kumara encouraged me a lot. After that it was the Coaching Staff at SLC and now Sajith Fernando (NCC) that have been guiding me in my career to date”.
The Nondescripts Cricket Club is today Kaushal’s second home. Many former and current Sri Lanka Cricketers who have come from the Outstations have been housed at the NCC. Kaushal is no exception, and today is among five to six young cricketers who enjoy residential facilities at the Club.
Looking through his eyes it was evident that the youngster from Down South is also helping to keep the home fires burning. “I have to support my family as much as I can,” said Kaushal who has now purchased a plot of land in Seenigama and is drawing up plans to build a house for his family.
Extremely talented and a gifted spinner Tharindu Kaushal’s ultimate dream is to don the Sri Lanka Cap. “I had this ambition when I was in school and I am now determined to achieve it”.
With one eye on the wellbeing of his family back in Rathgama and building a house for them and the other eye on a Sri Lanka Cap, 21-year-old Tharindu Kaushal continues his vigorous training sessions at Maitland Place hoping and praying that sooner or later he will be able to fulfill both his wishes.