Image credit : Illustrative Image

Kochi: Speedstar Basil Thampy, 24, becomes the third player from Kerala to get the honour to sport national cap in the 20-20 format of cricket.

With Kerala having little facility for budding cricket players, it was a rare honour when Tinu Yohanan earned a place in the national side followed by reverse swinger S Sreesanth.

Tinu’s father was an Olympian while Sreesanth had the privilege to get training at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. But

Basil with humble beginnings came from a small town of Perumbavoor near here. His main aim was to go to the Gulf to support his parents and that too sacrificing his passion for cricket.

Though his initial love was football, he switched over to cricket after getting impressed by Sreesanth.

His life changed miraculously when he got the chance to play for Globe Trotters, Chennai, during which he was spotted by Tinu who took him to the nets of Chemplast Sanmar Club. There he bowled to the likes of Murali Vijay, S Badrinath and Dinesh Karthik. He signed up for the club to play league cricket.

He played his Ranji trophy in 2014-15 when he was noted by the promoters of the IPL team Gujarat Lions and acquired for Rs 85 lakh.

Bowling at a speed of 140 km, Thampy was selected as the net bowler during the four-Test series against Australia this year.