Staff Writer - Archi
There cannot be a better start for Kevon Cooper. The West Indian announced his arrival with a six in the very first ball he faced in the Indian Premier League-V (IPL).
He sent the next ball for a boundary. With just two weeks into the world’s richest cricket league and Cooper is already the new sensation this time around.
This all-rounder representing the Rajasthan Royals team in the nine-team IPL is also lapping it up.
“I must say it’s a dream-come-true for me to just play in the IPL. I am only 23, and a few years back, I was at home watching IPL on TV. My dream was to play here one day and now I am here,” he said.
But it was really not as simple as it sounds. Following the 2011 Caribbean T20, match officials raised concerns about Cooper’s bowling action, placing his cricketing future in doubt. Luckily the Trinidad & Tobago government stepped in and sent him and teammate Sunil Narine, who is now also playing in this IPL, to the University of Western Australia in Perth to remodel their actions under the supervision of ICC-approved experts in biomechanics.
Over the next ten days, using a combination of biomechanical tests and remedial exercises, Cooper virtually practised throughout the day to re-learn the art of bowling. “That was a very difficult time for me,” he told an internet site. “(But) it taught me never to give up.”
Kevon Cooper - Photo courtesy namasthetelangaana.com
And after a year he is now the new sensation in India and world cricket.
Cooper comes from a footballing family. One of his brothers, Kevin Molina, was part of Trinidad &Tobago’s squad that played in the CONCACAF qualifying tournament for the London Olympics.
Cooper too grew up playing football but his father wanted Cooper to take up cricket and when he was picked for the T&T Under-19 squad, he left football behind.
Cooper, who was bought for $50,000 in the IPL player auction earlier this year, feels “slow” pitches in India were aiding his bowling, as he is used to slow wickets back at home.
“Back home the wickets are slow and over here also the wickets are same,” he said.
“My weapon is my variation and Indian pitches, I feel, are conducive to my style of bowling. I enjoyed it last time when I came here to play in the Champions League T20 for T&T. I bowled well with my slower balls, mixing up my pace…”
Getting an opportunity to play under a legend like Rahul Dravid is also an added advantage for Cooper. “To be in the team bus with Rahul (Dravid) is another dream-come-true for me.
He has scored so many Test hundreds. He’s down to earth and doesn’t show any emotion. Before the tournament, Rahul told me to simply enjoy my debut season. His words ‘we believe in you’ motivated me. He said the team will back me for they know what I am capable of,” he spoke about his team captain.
Asked about playing for West Indies one day, the all-rounder said, “Every player’s dream is to play for his country and my dream is also to play for the West Indies. One day I would like to wear that cap and represent West Indies. That is my dream and aim at moment,” he said.
“But right now, I am just focussing on the IPL. Hopefully, if selected for West Indies, we will take it from there,” he commented.
Cooper is the new household name in India now.
