Vijaykumar Vyshak Reflects on Fast-Bowling Journey at Bengaluru Event

Karnataka pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak reflected on his rise in professional cricket during his visit to Bengaluru for the Bangalore Blasters unboxing event ahead of the JITO Premier League.

Vyshak, who currently represents Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, revealed that his career as a fast bowler began unexpectedly after starting out as a batter. He was introduced to the sport at the age of eight when he joined Best Club Cricket Academy, where his father worked as a coach.

His transition to bowling came after a challenge in the nets. Vyshak recalled that an academy coach repeatedly taunted him by saying he could not bowl fast. Taking the remarks as a challenge, he shifted his focus entirely to pace bowling, setting off a trajectory that led him from domestic cricket to the national setup.

Vyshak began his IPL journey as a net bowler, bowling against established cricketers including Virat Kohli. He explained that experiencing the intensity of the IPL environment and observing senior players helped him understand professional routines and on-field demands before earning a spot in the competition.

Managing fitness and diet has been a primary focus across recent seasons, Vyshak noted, particularly while handling packed domestic and league schedules alongside occasional injuries. He highlighted that learning diet and recovery management from senior cricketers has been critical to maintaining consistency.

Speaking on facing his former home franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Vyshak said that while playing against the team he supported for 16 to 17 years brings emotion, competitive focus takes over during matches. Regarding workload management for emerging fast bowlers, Vyshak stressed that spending time bowling in match and training scenarios is essential for skill development, adding that more bowling opportunities offer the best path to improvement.

Vyshak received his maiden India T20I squad call-up for the 2024 tour of South Africa and continues to aim for his senior international debut.