West Indies off-spinner Rakheem Cornwall on Saturday recalled the moment when Indian skipper Virat Kohli had called for him specifically to bowl to him at the nets back in 2016. Cornwall described it as a "breakthrough moment" in his career.
Almost four years back, Cornwall had made it to the headlines in Indian newspaper after he dismissed Kohli in a tour game against the Indian side. Cornwall had also dismissed Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara in the same game. Later, Kohli had requested for Cornwall to bowl to him at the nets before the Test series in West Indies.
Recalling the game, Cornwall told ESPNCricinfo, "That was in a President's XI game in St Kitts. I got a five-wicket haul in that game as well. I got Kohli lbw and Rahane caught bat-pad. They were basic offspin deliveries with just a little bit of bounce. I also got Pujara bowled in that match - he was attempting a sweep shot."
When being asked about Kohli requesting his presence in the practice session, the 27-year-old said, I see it as a breakthrough moment for me where one of the best batsman in the world is asking for me to come to bowl to him in the nets."
"You learn a lot. A lot of patience, [that you need to] stick to line and length consistently rather than being all over the place," he added.
Cornwall later made his Test debut against the same side last year at home and bowled impressively once again to pick three wickets in the second Test. He dismissed Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami. Cornwall later took 10 wickets in a one-off Test match against Afghanistan in Lucknow last year.
He is now part of the 14-man squad gearing up for the England Test series which begins from July 8 onwards in Southampton.
