By Bipin Dani
Prasad Amarsekara who was his coach at the Wesley College in Colombo was at the ground to witness the 26-year-old bowler’s wickets.
“Virat’s wicket was priceless”, he said over the telephone. “Vandersay bowled two leg spin deliveries (20th over of Indian innings) to Kohli and the batter had to leave them alone. The former captain could not take even a single off the third delivery which was a googly. The fourth delivery was a real leg spin and it was a beauty. Kohli could not read it properly and was plumbed. Kohli had no choice of reviewing it”, he said.
According to Jeffrey Vandersay’s another coach Imran Tahir at the same college in 2008, the bowler was in superb form in the 2nd ODI. “His control was far better on Sunday”, he said. “He had a very good domestic season as well this year and I am not surprised with his bowling today. He was waiting for this opportunity”.
Vandersay finished with six wickets in the match. His tally included the wickets of captain Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Shivam Dubey, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and K.L Rahul. “All the wickets he got today were exceptional. Indian batters always play spinners well. So to take a 6fer with India is always great. Virat and Rohit’s wickets were the key of his bowling today”, the coach concluded.
Interestingly, Vandersay came in the eleven to replace injured all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga.
