By Trisha Ghosal in Manchester
In an unusual yet fitting twist, India have turned to the same left-arm spinner England used just days ago to prepare for Ravindra Jadeja, Madhya Pradesh’s Abhay Tipnis, to now mimic Liam Dawson, England’s newly drafted spinner for the fourth Test at Old Trafford.
With Shoaib Bashir ruled out due to injury, England brought in the experienced Dawson. And with the series at 2-1 in England’s favour, Gautam Gambhir and Ryan ten Doeschate are leaving no room for uncertainty. Wanting to expose their batters to Dawson’s rhythm and trajectory, they called on Tipnis, a left-arm spinner currently playing league cricket for Didsbury in Manchester, to bowl in the nets.
It’s a unique arc for Tipnis, who was England’s net bowler during their practice at Lord’s before the third Test. Back then, it was Ben Stokes, Joe Root and England spin coach Jeetan Patel offering suggestions on how to replicate Jadeja, from bowling with more pace to attacking the stumps with overspin.
“Joe Root was telling me how I should try to bowl slightly quicker to imitate Jadeja… and Stokes asked me to bowl into the rough,” Tipnis had shared after that session. “It was a good way to measure up where you stand, especially bowling to Root, who is one of the best players of spin.”
Now, in the lead-up to the fourth Test, Tipnis finds himself in the Indian camp, bowling to names like Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal. From England’s top order to India’s best, the 23-year-old is getting a rare, front-row view of elite Test preparation on both sides of the rivalry.
The challenge is different this time. While Root and Stokes were focused on control and simulation, India’s batters are aggressive players of spin, constantly looking to attack. For Tipnis, it’s a golden opportunity not just to support India’s training, but to learn and evolve in the process.
Whether he’s imitating Jadeja or Dawson, Tipnis has become an unexpected bridge between the two teams, a spinner shaped by both camps, could well be influencing the outcome of a fiercely fought series.
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