Chennai Super Kings‘ Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana has revealed that he would not receive a place in the teams during his U-19 days because of his heavy weight. In a video released by CSK on YouTube, Theekshana recalled the tough phase of his career, when his weight was 117 kg.
Due to his weight, he would fail the fitness tests. When he made it to the squad, he would serve water to his teammates. He started working on his body, and when he finally got the chance to play, he tried to make sure that he does not lose the golden opportunity.
Here’s what Theekshana had to say about his struggles during the initial days of his cricketing career:
“I was 117 kg at that time (U-19 days), so I had to work harder to get my weight and skin folds down in the yo-yo test. In 2020, I got everything down and brought my fitness to the (required) level. I started to do more hard work on my body.”
Maheesh Theekshana reveals the secret behind his success in cricket
Theekshana revealed that when he was a water boy, he realized that he should not give up and keep working hard. So when he got a chance to play, he reminded himself that if he did not play well, he would have to become a water boy again. Because of his never-say-die attitude, Theekshana is now a match-winner for the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2022.
“In 2017-18, I was in the U-19 squad, but I did not get a chance to play because I failed fitness tests a few times. In 2019, I had to be a water boy for 10 games in three-day matches,” said the CSK star.
Theekshana is likely to be a part of the Chennai Super Kings squad for many seasons. Fans should note that he was with CSK as a net bowler in IPL 2021, but now, he is an important member of the team.
