Looking to tackle South Africa’s potent spin threat in the second Test at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati, India turned to an unusual yet intriguing option, ambidextrous Bengal spinner Kaushik Maity. The move comes after India’s 30-run defeat in the opening Test in Kolkata, where the hosts crumbled against spin.

In that match, off-spinner Simon Harmer and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj dismantled India’s batting lineup in the fourth innings, skittling them out for just 93 and their lowest fourth-innings total at home. To give their batters a more challenging preparation, India invited Maity for a match-simulation session during an optional practice. The 26-year-old effortlessly alternated between bowling off-spin to left-handers and left-arm spin to right-handers.

Ambidextrous Maity impresses in rare India nets opportunity

Maity, who has featured in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Bengal and participated in trials with the Rajasthan Royals, has eight List A and three T20 appearances, collecting 11 wickets including a three-for against Punjab in the 2023 Vijay Hazare Trophy. Tuesday marked his first-ever session with the Indian team.

“It was my first time at the India nets although I have bowled in the IPL nets of various franchises at Eden Gardens. Today I bowled off-breaks to Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja and Devdutt Padikkal. To Dhruv Jurel, I bowled left-arm spin,” Maity said. He also turns out for Kalighat, one of Kolkata’s top first-division clubs.

Maity added that head coach Gautam Gambhir and bowling coach Morne Morkel did not give him specific instructions; instead, he relied on his natural variations. Bowling to elite international batters, he said, was both a dream and a learning experience.

As a young spinner with IPL aspirations, Maity knows sharpening his T20 skills is vital, and sessions like these help him understand the standards he must reach. The highlight of his day, however, was bowling to Ravindra Jadeja and receiving technical advice from the veteran.

“Jaddu bhai told me to rush the batters by pushing my length back and increasing my pace through the air,” Maity recalled. “He noticed my natural length was around 4–5 meters and advised me to bowl at 6–7 metres, firing it in quicker to give batters less time to react.”