Ganesh Kendale
NEW DELHI: India clinched a 2-0 series sweep against Bangladesh on Tuesday, with India’s throwdown specialist Raghavendra Dwivedi, also known as “Raghu Bhaiya“, handed the series trophy following India’s seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the Kanpur Test.
This gesture of recognition meant Raghu’s pivotal role behind the scenes of Indian cricket, particularly in helping the team’s batters fine-tune their skills against high-speed bowling.
Ahead of India’s second Test against Bangladesh, former India head coach Ravi Shastri took to X (formerly Twitter) to laud Raghu’s contributions.
Shastri, who worked closely with him during his tenure, praised the Karnataka-born specialist for playing an indispensable role in preparing the Indian batters to face the world’s fastest bowlers.
“Always good to see the Man Friday and the heartbeat of the Indian Cricket team – Raghu,” he wrote on X.
Known for his ability to deliver throwdowns at blistering speeds, Raghu has earned the admiration of some of India’s greatest cricketers, including MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.
Dhoni has even dubbed him an “overseas pace specialist,” underlining the importance of Raghu’s skills in honing the team’s techniques against pace.
Raghu’s journey to this role, however, was far from easy.
Hailing from Kumta in Karnataka, he faced resistance from his father, a school teacher, who did not support his cricketing ambitions. Undeterred, Raghu pursued his passion, enduring hardships that saw him sleeping in a bus stand, a temple, and even a graveyard in Hubli during trials for the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
His determination paid off as his performances earned him accommodation and support from the KSCA.
However, an injury ended his dreams of becoming a professional cricketer, steering him toward coaching.
By 2008, he was working with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and three years later, he was a throwdown specialist for the national team. Today, Raghu was seen lifting the trophy after India’s 2-0 win over Bangladesh in what is deemed a fitting recognition for the “heartbeat of the Indian Cricket team”.
