Vijaykumar Vyshak’s journey as a fast bowler began somewhat unexpectedly. He started his cricketing journey as a batter, but his ambition to become an all-rounder gradually led him towards bowling. Today, the Karnataka pacer represents Punjab Kings in the IPL and has also been part of the Indian national setup, receiving his maiden India T20I call-up for the 2024 tour of South Africa, though he is yet to make his senior international debut.
His introduction to cricket came when he was 8 and began training at Best Club Cricket Academy, where his father was a coach. It was there that he first picked up the bat, with fast bowling still far from his plans. “I wanted to be an all-rounder, so in the nets, I’d try to bowl faster, but it just didn’t happen. I had a coach, who used to taunt me saying, ‘You can’t bowl fast.’ I took that as a challenge and it changed my whole cricketing career. From then, I completely shifted my energy to fast bowling,” Vyshak beams as he recalls his early years in cricket.
The decision set him on a path from domestic cricket to the IPL, where he entered as a net bowler. Bowling to established players like Virat Kohli gave him an opportunity to experience the intensity of an IPL environment before he had established himself. It was also a chance to prove himself. “I knew if I did well there, there was a chance that I could get into the squad and that was the chance that I really wanted to take,” he shares, adding, “The way they handle themselves and take care of themselves, both on and off the field, taught me a lot.”
When his IPL opportunity arrived, the demands of playing brought a different challenge. With a packed cricket calender, staying fit and available became a major priority. Vyshak says he has played a considerable amount of cricket over the past few seasons, while also dealing with occasional niggles and missed matches. “Fitness was a great challenge for me. Diet is going to get you to the next level if you have to play throughout the year and be consistently fit. I’ve been focusing a lot on that and learning from the seniors about how to manage it,” Vyshak smiles.
When asked which IPL team has been his toughest opponent, Vyshak does not pick one. Playing against a team he grew up following naturally carries some feeling, but once the game begins, the competitive side takes over as
he shares, “Whatever team I play, I want to make sure that I win the game. But whenever I play against RCB, there are some emotions because that’s where I started my cricket and I’ve been a fan for 16-17 years. Still, there’s no holding back. When you’re playing against a team, they’re always your opponent.”
Workload management has become a major talking point in cricket, particularly for fast bowlers. Vyshak believes young bowlers need enough opportunities to bowl and develop their skills. In his view, time spent bowling is essential to undertstanding what works and improving as a player. In his words, ‘the more you bowl, the more you learn.’ At the same time, he is positive about the systems in place for Indian fast bowlers.