NOTHING WRONG

Yogesh Takawale, city's first IPL player, may be branded a 'problem guy' in state cricket circles, but DY Patil coach and former India pacer Abey Kuruvilla feels his ward is a committed cricketer

Suhrid Barua, Pune Mirror, April 18, 2009
One year can be a long time in internatinal cricket. And one lad, Yogesh Takawale, have already plumbed the ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ of being a professional cricketer.
An impressive stint with the star-spangled Mumbai Indians side in the inaugural Indian Premier League last year (April), the youngster’s career graph, which looked set to be blossoming, came crashing down when he was not considered for the entire 20080-09 Ranji season for Maharashtra (November-December.
There was no end to talk circu-lating in cricket circles that Takawale had a big ‘attitude’ problem which ruffled the feathers of the State selectors which led to the axe being wielded on him. Actually, too much has been said about Takawale’s ‘absence’ from the Maharashtra team that he is now left with no choice but to come up with all guns blazing in the second edition of the IPL starting in South Africa on May 18 if he has to resusci-tate his cricketing career.
PROBLEM GUY
Ask former India medium-pacer and DY Patil coach Abey Kuruvilla, who has closely followed Takawale’s game as the latter plays for them. Is he really a ‘problem guy’? “I don’t think so. He’s very committed crick-eter and a true match-winner. He can tonk any attack and has all the shots in his repertoire. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t see anything amiss with his atti-tude,” he observed.
STRAIGHT BAT
What’s his take on Takawale’s exclusion for the Maharashtra side for the entire 2008-09 Ranji season? “Well, all I would say that it’s extremely unfortunate that Takawale had to sit out the whole season on the sidelines,” was how he put it.
Does he feel that he has been treated shabbily by the MCA? “I don’t wish to comment on that,” he offers a straight bat as if he is countering a toecrushing yorker from a zippy bowler.
Remember; the inaugural IPL catapulted the likes of Swapnil Asnodkar, Manpreet Brar and Yusuf Pathan into the national limelight. Takawale can cer-tainly hope to see something like that happen to him in the 2nd IPL. “A lot of domestic players, who were unheard of, are much better-known after their exploits in the inaugural IPL. I had a pretty good time last season and hope to improve on that this season,” Takawale said days before leaving for South Africa.
BREATH OF FRESH
Who can forget how he took 25 of one Shaun Watson (Rajasthan Royals) over laced with four overs and a six. “I’ve good memories of that over. I clobbered every ball and eve-rytime the ball found the sweet spot of the bat, bahut accha laga (I felt very good),” he added. Lets hope that the second IPL gives the breath of fresh air to Takawale’s career — something he desperately needs.