Life is such a such a ride that in seconds it can take you from being no one to someone special. That was what happened to Mahesh Pithiya, a spin bowler who has similar action to Indian off-spin bowler Ravichandran Ashwin, was picked by Australia before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to prepare to play the veteran off-spin bowler.
And now, something similar has happened again. A Swiggy food delivery boy has been picked up by the Netherlands cricket team ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 to prepare to play spin bowlers, which is one of the strong aspect of any cricket pitches in India.
A 29-year-old Swiggy delivery driver, Lokesh Kumar, who was engaged in his routine food deliveries on Monday, has suddenly taken on a new role as part of the Netherlands cricket team’s support staff. Lokesh has been chosen as the net bowler by the Netherlands cricket team as they gear up for the upcoming World Cup 2023 in India.
Lokesh, a skilled left-arm Chinaman bowler, stood out among approximately 10,000 candidates who underwent evaluation by the Netherlands team coaching staff. In the selection process, applicants submitted videos via WhatsApp, and Lokesh’s submission captivated the Dutch team.
They recognized that this Swiggy delivery professional would be instrumental in their preparations for the World Cup, especially given his expertise in navigating the spin-friendly pitches of India.
Lokesh, having joined the Dutch camp on Wednesday, conveyed to TOI that he had played in the fifth division for four years and had enrolled with the fourth-division team, Indian Oil (RO) S&RC, for the current season.
Following his selection as a net bowler by the Netherlands, he expressed a sense of gratification in having his talent acknowledged. Upon his arrival, Lokesh was warmly embraced by the members of the Netherlands team, and there was an induction ceremony for the net bowlers preceding the commencement of the session.
The players conveyed to them, “Feel at ease; you are part of our team.” Lokesh already senses his integration into the Dutch family really well.
Our first training session in India for the #CWC23 began with a small induction ceremony for our four new net bowlers from different parts of India. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ug0gHb73tn
— Cricket🏏Netherlands (@KNCBcricket) September 20, 2023
The Netherlands cricket team qualified for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 through the playoffs stage. In the qualifiers played in Zimbabwe, Netherlands finished 2nd behind Sri Lanka to qualify for the World Cup.
The Dutch side will open its World Cup 2023 campaign against Pakistan on the 6th of October in Hyderabad.
