Speedster Rajneesh Gurbani wants to increase his bowling speed

After a match-winning performance claiming 12-wickets against Karnataka in the semi-final, Vidarbha bowler Rajneesh Gurbani rocked Delhi with a hat-trick on the second morning of the Ranji Trophy final. The 24-year-old pacer finished with figures of 6 for 59 as Delhi managed only 295 in their first innings. Gurbani has already garnered a reputation as a big-game player for Vidarbha and his impressive spell will certainly attract the attention of the national selectors.

However, the promising Indian prospect is not satisfied with the pace of his bowling. The civil engineer graduate is extremely skilful with the ball and stores a number of tricks up his sleeves. The lanky Vidarbha pacer can swing it both ways and lands the red cherry on the seam whenever he wants. Albeit his body is not designed in a way that would enable him to bowl at express pace but Gurbani is not exactly a trundler-in-chief either.

Speaking to the press after Day 2, he revealed, “I would like to increase the pace and will work as per the instructions of the trainer. Normally, we start training three months before the season, but this time we have started a month before. The program is like one day gym and one day endurance. I know I have to improve a lot in fitness,”

Match details

Batting first, Delhi could manage a score of 295 at the end of their first innings. Shorey and Vikas Mishra, the two overnight batsmen, faced an unplayable spell of fast bowling from Rajneesh Gurbani and debutant Aditya Thakare.

In reply, Vidarbha’s Fazal and Sanjay Ramaswamy got Vidarbha off to a brilliant start, facing little trouble from Delhi bowlers. The duo put on a 96-run stand before fast bowler Akash Sudan, playing just his second first-class game, got the ball to move in a bit. It got the inside edge of Ramaswamy’s bat and wrecked his stumps. On the third day A Wadkar 133* helped the Westerners eventually finished the day at 528/7.