Hyderabad’s Punnaiah selected for 45-day London county camp; hopes to play in IPL 

The 19-year-old pacer has been roped in by the Mumbai Indians franchise as part of a 25-member team that will travel to London

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Ranji cricketer Bhuvanagiri Punnaiah, who has been picked up by the Mumbai Indians and Reliance Foundation for a 45-day camp to London, hopes to make the most of the opportunity and present his case for a place in the team in the upcoming Indian Premier League season.

The 19-year-old pacer has been roped in by the Mumbai Indians franchise as part of a 25-member team that will travel to London on Wednesday for the one and half month camp. The selected cricketers will play matches against the local County teams to showcase their talent.

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“This is a great opportunity for me. If I do well there, I can be considered in the IPL auctions and can be picked up by the Mumbai Indians side,” said Punnaiah who landed in Mumbai on Tuesday to join the team.

Punnaiah got selected for the project after attending the MI trials for the two seasons. “Yes, I have attended the MI trials for two seasons. They saw me there and they called me for this trip. I want to do my best and pick up as many wickets as possible. If I do better, I will be a step closer to playing in the IPL. Playing well there can also help me find a place in the County team and sponsorship,” the pacer said.

Punnaiah, who was found by coach Naresh and former BCCI junior selection committee chairman V Chamundeswaranath, has made his Ranji debut in the year 2022 for Hyderabad in the clash against Bengal. Battling against odds and financial woes, he made rapid strides in his career. He was picked for the camp in NCA. He then was part of Sunrisers Hyderabad as their net bowler where he got to learn the tricks of the trade from the bests like Dale Steyn.

“I think at this stage of my career, the London trip is a big boost. I get to learn a lot and bowling in English conditions will help my game. There is a lot to learn and I am keen to improve as a bowler. I have learnt a lot from my stint with SRH as their net bowler and also from being part of the bowling camp at NCA in the past,” he added.

The fast bowler, who clocks at 132 kmph, is keen to add more pace and variations to his arsenal to become a complete bowler in a bid to realise his ultimate dream of playing for the country.