Ish Sodhi

A leg spinner with a lot of flair, Ish Sodhi's career has been a mixed path so far but the good part is that he has finally started to realize the potential which was seen in him quite early in his career. He had barely finished a First-class season before making his Test debut at the young age of 19. It's always tough for a Non-Asian spinner (especially a Kiwi) because the majority of the pitches at home barely have anything in it for the spin bowlers. There are a handful that are slightly slower in nature but then again, don't turn much at all. Despite all the odds, Sodhi fought hard. That was a work in progress that was there for all to see. Even in the sub-continent, he couldn't create the impact a spinner usually does due to his inability to hit the right lengths. Experience, clearly was lacking in a big way but the talent on offer was a temptation.

Till late 2014, Sodhi was persisted with in red-ball cricket before the Kiwi selectors decided to axe him. The domestic performances had shown that he was a much better bowler in the shorter formats, perhaps one made just for those. In the latter half of 2015, he made his ODI debut. Since then, he has been a part of the limited-overs squad. The 2016 World T20 was a defining moment for him as he, along with Mitchell Santner, impressed one and all throughout the tournament. The duo's sterling performance against India on a raging turner was the most talked about thing then. It also provided a new lease of life for Sodhi who decided to focus more on white-ball cricket.

Sodhi, as the name suggests, comes from a family with Indian roots. They had shifted to New Zealand where the young Ish pursued his cricketing fortunes from a tender age. A wrist spinner is always a tempting proposition, particularly in today's modern era where most pitches are batting friendly. Add to it the two new balls in 50-over cricket which has made life hard for the finger spinners. Sodhi, however, didn't let the off-field expectations get to him and focussed mainly on developing consistency in hitting the right lengths. Thanks to the backing of selectors and his experience of playing several T20 leagues - Sodhi continues to remain a key player of the Kiwi set-up.

by Hariprasad Sadanandan