Punjab Kings new signing Vishal Nishad talked about the role Virat Kohli played in shaping his cricketing journey and said he will pay respect to his idol if he ever gets him in a match.Nishad said Kohli was the reason he got into the sport and remains his biggest influence. “My idol is Virat Kohli. I am inspired by his attitude and his determination; he is my favourite,” said Nishad.
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Asked how he would react if he managed to dismiss Kohli, the right-arm bowler said, “If I take his wicket, I will touch his feet because he is my idol.”Nishad’s journey to the IPL was not easy. He spoke about the difficulties his family faced and the times he thought about giving up cricket. “There were tough times. I used to go with my father and help him (with work). I even thought of quitting cricket,” he recalled.He said his family initially doubted his future in the game. “My mother told me to quit and learn something else because becoming a cricketer is so difficult. But I didn’t give up. I told her, ‘Mum, I will definitely do it’.” Once they saw my determination, my family got behind me.”Nishad started his cricketing journey playing tennis balls before switching to leather ball cricket. He said the shift came after encouragement from a friend. “Initially, I played cricket with a tennis ball. A friend watched me bowl and suggested he try the leather ball as he liked my action. After that I decided to take up serious practice. That’s how it all started,” he said.He also credited his coach and local cricket for helping him progress. “My coach didn’t charge me for three years. I ended up playing in a local T20 tournament in Uttar Pradesh and did well. I landed here (with Punjab Kings) after two years of playing in the tournament.”Explaining how he became a bowler, Nishad said his beginnings with a tennis ball helped him develop key skills. “When I first trained with the tennis ball, I got used to it spinning. I adapted my tennis skills to the leather ball, which played a major role in me becoming a bowler.”
