Impressing Kumble at 18: 'Traditional off-spinner' Hemchudeshan eyes Test cap

Already part of U-19 set-up ahead of World Cup and in BCCI's targeted pool of spinners, Tamil Nadu tweaker is already considered a prospect despite being new to the First-Class scene

It took Anil Kumble one look at J Hemchudeshan at the Centre of Excellence to label him "a traditional off-spinner."

At 18, when he is still finding his feet in the India Under-19 set-up ahead of the next World Cup, he is already part of BCCI's targeted pool of spinners. At the CoE, the coaches believe, if he continues to evolve the way he has, Hemchudeshan won't take long to partner Manav Suthar in the Indian Test team.

He was drafted into the Tamil Nadu Ranji Trophy squad last season even before he was 18, making his debut against Jharkhand and has featured in three First-Class matches already.

The hype around Hemchudheshan isn't without reason. In 2023/24, he took a record 53 wickets in the Vijay Merchant Trophy. It was his first season after he had switched to bowling off-spin. In 2024/2025, he finished the Cooch Behar Trophy with 47 wickets in 15 innings at an average of 15.23, which brought him the MA Chidambaram Trophy at the BCCI Naman Awards. At a time when India's off-spinning resources are thin, Hemchudeshan is offering plenty of hope.

Like R Ashwin, Hemchudeshan started primarily as a batsman who could bowl pace. Back home in Trichy, thanks to his fast-bowling exploits, he even earned the moniker "Malinga." But off-spin would invariably become his calling card.

"I was a batsman till I was 16. I started off-spinning when I was 14 or 16 because my coach Vinod Sir told me that with my height, I was better off being a spinner," he tells The Indian Express ahead of Tamil Nadu's third-round Ranji fixture against Railways. "Spin is an art. When I started playing state matches, I was able to spin very little. While playing in the north, I used to practise a lot with Wilkins (Victor) Sir. He taught me how to spin the ball on each surface. How to give revs on the ball, angles and trajectory. It took me some time to understand how off-spin works.

"There is so much behind off-spin. That's when it hit me. Deceiving batsmen in the air and getting them caught at bat-pad or LBW or even bowling them gave a lot of satisfaction and I got hooked on to off-spin."

From the time he started bowling off-spin, Hemchudeshan's biggest strength has been the flight he imparts and the turn and bounce he generates off the surface. In his earlier days, he bowled with a rope or a net tied mid-pitch, to ensure he bowled over them. "I used to be very short, so I did use nets, but the flat trajectory never came. I always flighted the ball, and just want to over-spin the ball more so that it opens up different wicket-taking options. At the Under-19 level, not many used to sweep or reverse-sweep, but that is not the case in Ranji, where you are bowling to mature batsmen. So I've to be patient and that will happen only if I back my strengths," he said.

Priority set

This July, he could have been part of the Tamil Nadu Premier League, but chose to concentrate on red-ball cricket at a crucial juncture of his career. So, two months were spent at the CoE in camps alongside Kumble and Sunil Joshi.

"When Kumble Sir told me 'you are traditional', it felt nice. We worked with him for two days. He told us the importance of visualising and how to prepare for each session and match. He taught me how to use angles. It is what I'm trying to do this season," Hemchudeshan said.

At 18, there was every reason for him to continue playing age-group cricket, but given the rapid strides he has been making, he has been picked in the Ranji squad to develop certain aspects that still remain a work in progress. For instance, when it comes to bowling long spells, there are specifics that Joshi has told him to work on.

"He has told me to use my hip more so that my body is aligned perfectly. At CoE, I bowled on different surfaces, which would come handy during the Ranji season, but technically speaking, it is important for me to get the hip drive, release point and the non-bowling arm properly. Only when all of it falls in place, I would be able to bowl long spells."

The hype and the expectations have reached his ears too, but all that Hemchudeshan offers is a smile.

"Red ball is my priority and I've to focus on that. My dream is to play Test cricket for India and I have to practise a lot for that. Outside pressure is there, but all of it is immaterial if I don't fulfill my potential," he added.