Delhi Capitals’ throwdown specialists explain the craft behind T20 batting preparation

With cricket evolving rapidly and batters clearing boundaries with increasing ease, throwdown specialists have become an important part of any T20 setup. Their work helps batters prepare for high pace and refine particular shots through repetitions that would not be possible with a regular bowler. Support staff members using a baseball glove and sidearm tool are now a common sight in practice sessions. During international assignments, teams often have a dedicated throwdown net for skill and repetition work. In an IPL setup, the emphasis is more on volume.

Because bowlers cannot realistically replicate match-day intensity in the nets over long periods, throwdown specialists have become central to team preparation. Delhi Capitals have three specialists with different backgrounds and skill sets but a shared aim.

Aniket Berde, 35, is from Kalyan in Mumbai. He played club cricket before joining Praveen Amre's academy in 2013, where he bowled to players including Ajinkya Rahane, Robin Uthappa, Shreyas Iyer, Shams Mulani and Aakarshit Gomel. Berde is ambidextrous. He writes and fields with his left hand but bats and bowls with his right hand.

"In the beginning, I was a right-arm bowler. So, I used to bowl with my right hand. But a lot of people are doing right-arm throwdowns. What makes me unique is that I'm a right-hand bowler, but I throw with my left hand. So, I started doing throwdowns with my left hand slowly. Now, I can throw with both hands," he told reporters on the sidelines of DC's nets session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

He said he did right-hand-only throwdowns until 2016 and then spent two years improving his left-hand proficiency. He also had to learn how to use the sidearm tool.

"Earlier, we used to bowl with our hands; we did not have a sidearm. But, as I got a sidearm, I started learning how to bowl with it. Then, one day, I saw Raghu bowling with Ajinkya (Rahane) sir. After that, I started bowling with my right hand.

"First, I started with my right hand to bowl with a sidearm. Little by little, I developed that. Gradually, I started with my left hand as well. So, when I tried with my left hand, I was told that I could continue. Now, I mostly bowl with my left hand," he explained.

Berde came to cricket relatively late, at 18, and did not get many opportunities initially. He chose to coach while playing to keep his options open. As playing opportunities reduced with age, he moved into the growing role of throwdown and sidearm specialist. He has been with Delhi Capitals for a year and has spent three seasons with the Dubai Capitals in the ILT20.

Darshan is the most experienced of the three specialists in the Delhi Capitals setup. He joined eight years ago after having played at the Under-16 and Under-19 levels in Jammu & Kashmir. He first came to Delhi as a cricketer around 2012, but a serious back injury in 2014 interrupted his progress. Two years later, he shifted entirely to coaching and throwdown work.

Darshan, 32, is from Ramban district, about 150 km from Jammu. After his playing career ended, he worked and trained at Sonnet Club in Delhi. In 2016, he joined the Delhi Capitals setup.

Asked what makes a good throwdown specialist, Darshan said pace is not the main factor. "It doesn't matter if you bowl 150 or 160 kmpg. It doesn't matter. What matters is how many balls you're bowling into a good length area, how much in-swing and out-swing you get if you bowl a red ball. Or if you bowl with a white ball, you get more yorkers. It matters more what you bowl," he said.

Outside the IPL, Darshan has worked in the ILT20 with the Dubai Capitals, the Legends League, the Asia Cup and with the J&K domestic team.

"In 2021, I worked with the J&K team for two years. The team was doing well then also. We were playing a lot of tournaments in the off-season.

"We were going abroad to play cricket. The problem with J&K is that there is little club cricket. There is more matting cricket. If club cricket comes, it will be better. There are more bowlers because they play on the mat. If you play on the astro(turf), it will be better. There is good talent there."

Sai Pendam, from Manikonda district in Telangana, initially hesitated before speaking to reporters and encouraged his colleagues to answer first. Pendam is around five feet tall, but he said that did not stop him from pursuing his interest in the game. He said corruption ended his playing career as an off-spinner and pushed him toward becoming a sidearm and throwdown specialist.

Pendam started in 2021 at the Adnan Cricket Academy in Hyderabad after encouragement from his friend Ganesh. He described a difficult early phase.

"He (Adan) told me that I have a lot of talent. You can do it. You can go to a higher level. I started from there.

"After a month, I started feeling pain in my shoulders. At one time, I thought that I will leave sidearm (coaching). He told me that nothing would happen. He told me that this is how it starts. He told me that if I get used to it, I won't have any problems.

"After that, I got the chance to make players practise. I didn't want money. I just wanted a chance. I was waiting for that chance."

That opportunity came during a camp where he was noticed by Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani, Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao, former India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and GMR Group's Ruchir Grandhi. Since then, he has worked across multiple ILT20 campaigns, IPL seasons and the Legends Cricket League during three years with the GMR Sports setup.