Rajendra Prasad Mohapatra

India and Australia are all set to play against each other in a 4-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting February 9.

Australians are well aware about the fact that Indian spinners are going be the main threat for them in the forthcoming Test series. Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is going to be the trump card for India.

To counter Ashwin’s threat in the Test series, Australian batters have reportedly been practicing against the off-spinner’s duplicate Maheesh Pithiya as a net bowler.

As per reports, Pithiya has an uncanny resemblance to Ashwin's bowling style. The visiting team’s support staff had sent footage of Pithiya’s bowling via social media. The uncanny similarities between him and Ashwin prompted the touring side to fly the youngster to Bangalore to join the training camp as a net bowler.

Australians are taking Ashwin as the biggest huddle in their way of winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Hence, they are making use of Pithiya in order to counter the veteran offie.

Twenty one-year-old Pithiya from Junagadh, Gujarat made his first-class debut for Baroda in December last year. He aspires to represent his country one day.  He also cherishes the dream to meet his idol Ashwin once. But, for now, he has been identified as an important part of the preparatory plan for the Australians.
 

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