Bengaluru: When pacer Kumar L R marks out his run-up and goes through his familiar motions, the first thing any cricket fan is likely to notice is the similarity between his action and that of Australian great Brett Lee.
The resemblance has also earned him the nickname ‘Brett’ from his Sir Syed Cricketers team-mates, at the Bangalore Zone first-division club in the KSCA league.
If he was indeed blessed with the rare gift of lightning speed and height like Lee, the journey from the lanes of Mandya to the Karnataka Ranji Trophy side would have been much easier and straightforward. But Kumar’s story is anything but.
“The feeling can’t be expressed and put into words. Heg helodu (how do I tell it), very happy,” Kumar, who earned his maiden Ranji call-up, tells DH.
But how did the story get to this? About 12 years ago, it was only during school selection trials that a 13-year-old Kumar realised he could bowl well with a leather ball. Up until then, he was just another kid playing tennis ball cricket in school and streets.
“I was playing a lot of tennis ball cricket in school, and when I did well, my PT teacher suggested that I join coaching. I was watching a lot of cricket, but after I was picked for the school team and started doing well, I gained interest to play.”
Cricket did not run in Kumar’s family, and his parents were initially hesitant to support his ambitions — a common concern in households where finances are tight. But the constant praise for his game from people in the neighbourhood eventually convinced them to enrol him at the PET Academy.
Three months later, he was picked for the under-14 Mysuru Zone, and Kumar says, “Alle ella shuru aagiddu (that’s where it all started).”
Consistent performances in age-group circuit saw him rise through the ranks quickly. And the desire to play Ranji Trophy was constantly being injected through his U-16 State coach Yere Goud.
“Yere sir made us believe that Ranji Trophy should be the first goal. That has always stayed in my head, and his words have been very influential.”
Kumar had always been good with the old ball troubling batters when it starts to reverse. But, playing at the higher level meant he needed to evolve, which saw him develop an outswinger and a quick bouncer. Lots of tennis ball cricket helped him sharpen his yorker.
In 2022, Kumar earned his first Maharaja Trophy contract with the Bengaluru Blasters. But tragedy hit shortly, when he lost both his parents within months, leaving much of the family responsibility on him, with two sisters to take care of.
Still 21 at the time, he could have brooded over life being so tough on him, but he found an escape through cricket, and now is on the verge of a senior State debut.
The journey, though, needed a meticulous routine. With club practice at 7 am, Kumar would leave for Bengaluru from Mandya via bus or train every weekend and stay at the KSCA dormitory with eight others. When injured, he would show up at league games, even if it meant sitting on the sidelines.
The perseverance paid off in 2024, where he picked 17 wickets for Hubli Tigers, and attracted attention of head coach Vinay Kumar, who now is in-charge of the Karnataka team.
Kumar, who didn’t receive any personal 1v1 coaching that cricketers these days get, was grateful for the impact former Karnataka pacer Abhimanyu Mithun has had over the last four years.
In the Ismail Mirza Shield this season, Kumar impressed with 18 wickets at an average of 17.22, helping Sir Syed win the competition.
Fitness concerns to Vidwath Kaverappa and Vyshak Vijaykumar meant that Kumar, who was in the Ranji probables, made the cut.
And if he indeed makes his debut in Mulapadu against Andhra, it could be the start of something special for the man from Mandya.