The cost of one’s action: When Mohnish Parmar’s innocent idol-worship backfired

[Malcolm Merlyn]

While Mohnish Parmar was growing up in Gandhinagar, Muttiah Muralitharan was already a global star. And it was only natural that Parmar would idolize Muralitharan after deciding to become an off-spinner. The lanky youngster though took it a step further. He started aping the record-breaking Sri Lankan’s unique action, and before long earned renown in the local cricket circles for being India’s answer to Murali. But little did he know that he would end up paying a devastating price for his innocent idol-worship. A slump that would see him lost in complete oblivion from being touted as a future India prospect. Here, Parmar talks about his dramatic journey from being a potential world-beater an also-ran left in the lurch. Life completely changes once you are called for ‘chucking’. When I started to play cricket, I tried copying the legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan’s action. Little did I know then that it would have some dire consequences. When I was playing junior cricket, whoever saw me would say ‘yeh toh India ka Murali hai’ and I would feel good about it. Soon I made it to the India under-19 side and travelled to play the Junior World Cup. Tweets I had started aping Muralitharan because I believe that in this country you need to be a tad ‘different’ to get noticed It was during that tournament that I was warned for bending my arm for the first-time by the umpires there. I came back home after the WC and was sent to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore. That was just the first of many visits that I would end up making to the NCA in the subsequent years. I then went on to play the Ranji Trophy and did exceptionally well during one season. Not long after, I was picked in the India A squad for a tour to Australia, where I took four wickets against them. It was the happiest day of my career, especially when some experts reckoned that the India cap wasn’t too far away from my grasp. Even our India A coach Dav Whatmore was of that opinion. From there, commenced my slide. My action was reported again in 2009 and I was back at the NCA. Over there, I was advised to change my action completely. I was shattered. It was the action I had bowled with from the first day of my career. Whatever I had achieved was with it. I had started aping Muralitharan because I believe that in this country you need to be a tad ‘different’ to get noticed. I remember meeting Muralitharan on the sidelines of an IPL game in 2008. I took Cheteshwar Pujara along with me as I’m not fluent with English. Through Pujara, Muralitharan asked me to come visit him in Chennai where he would try to figure out where I was going wrong with my action. Somehow I couldn’t go there and thus missed my chance to train with the legend. Despite all that had happened, I wanted to keep bowling like Murali but I kept getting ‘called’ repeatedly in domestic cricket. I was disturbed mentally. There were even some who suggested that I should shift to medium-pace bowling or become a pure batsman. There were rumours that my action would never get cleared because they didn’t want another Murali on the circuit. But I always told myself if Murali can get away with that action, why not me? But anyway I had to change my action and I did it. My effectiveness was gone, and wickets were no longer coming my way. It didn’t take long for my state team, Gujarat, to look for another spinner and drop me. Things only got worse. Even the local umpires in my hometown now started casting doubts over my action. I simply couldn’t fathom where I was going wrong and I started asking myself a lot of questions. After every delivery I would wonder, was my action right on that one? Did I use my wrist more than what is allowed? Is my arm bending? Left in the lurch It’s been two years now since I last played for Gujarat. Many people think I’ve given up on cricket. I keep traveling to Ahmedabad so that people are aware that I’m still around. I don’t have a job and my earning has stopped. Back when I was the India A star, there were agents lining up to sign me. Cricket gave me fame and money, but both have disappeared now. I was on a contract with Reliance Industries but they too haven’t renewed it. Even though I’m just 26, I’m finding it difficult to get a job. I know that the end of my cricket career might not be far but I’m giving it one last shot.

To just give an example Parmar has taken 92 wickets @18.4 in FC cricket.His stats were even better before his action was changed.He was arguably the next big Indian spinner. Well but BCCI didnt let him continue as they didnt want illegal actions in Indian cricket.AFAIK he was never tested biomechnically but still BCCI changed his action and sacrificed a budding career to be ethically right. While the likes of SLC and PCB are promoting illegal actions and even justifying them and calling ICC bans againist such actions as witch hunt.

[Silva]

From the pics i've seen of his bowling action it looks dodgy but possibly within 15 degree limit like ojha. Until I more clips or pictures of his bowling I wouldn't be praising the BCCI. its possible they needlessly ruined this kids career.

[kira]

copy cats never make it big anyway

[Temujin Khaghan]

you should not copy it as it is. you should always take inspiration from your hero and improvise on it to suit you. like akthar-younis or sehwag-sachin

[GautiMaan]

copy cats never make it big anyway

you should not copy it as it is. you should always take inspiration from your hero and improvise on it to suit you. like akthar-younis or sehwag-sachin

How do u guys know he didnt improvise?Have u seen him bowl.If anyone can copy a bowler or batsman from tv footage we should have hundreds of sachin's and warne's running around. Here the point is why the bcci didnt help him figure out what was wrong before totally condemning him.

[kumar713]

This was discussed in ICF few years back http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showthread.php?t=280582

[kira]

How do u guys know he didnt improvise?Have u seen him bowl.If anyone can copy a bowler or batsman from tv footage we should have hundreds of sachin's and warne's running around. Here the point is why the bcci didnt help him figure out what was wrong before totally condemning him.

That is what I said ...copy cats don't make it big....you can't copy sachin or warne...they are once in a lifetime cricketers....if he had the talent and brains he wouldn't have blindly copied a chucker...nakal ke liye bhi akal chahiye

[Temujin Khaghan]

How do u guys know he didnt improvise?Have u seen him bowl.If anyone can copy a bowler or batsman from tv footage we should have hundreds of sachin's and warne's running around. Here the point is why the bcci didnt help him figure out what was wrong before totally condemning him.

the player is himself saying he copied murali as it is.

[Temujin Khaghan]

the video footage of him in the IPL is after the change has been made.

[moniker]

Murali was called for throwing way back in 1995. Maybe he could've copied him as a kid. But if he was dumb enough to carry on aping a bowler's action that has met with controversy and has been out there in public all along, he should take it on the chin and move on.

From the pics i've seen of his bowling action it looks dodgy but possibly within 15 degree limit like ojha. Until I more clips or pictures of his bowling I wouldn't be praising the BCCI. its possible they needlessly ruined this kids career.

Chucking is visible to the naked eye. If umpires had called him for throwing after watching him bowl I don't think there should be any reason to doubt them.

[sensible-indian]

Brilliant thing from BCCI. What is supposed to be done must be done. Most things start out in an innocent way before turning into a menace. I just wonder how did a guy like Bhajji make it to the highest level in India? Is it because things weren't scrutinized so strictly back in 2000? Ojha's action (even if its not reported at the domestic level) is not clean either. Don't want to see bowlers popping all over the world with similar elbow extensions.

[Malcolm Merlyn]

But but but your cross border friends want these mind of bowlers as the game has become a batting game.And you shouldnt take away the livelihood of a person.

[kira]

Brilliant thing from BCCI. What is supposed to be done must be done. Most things start out in an innocent way before turning into a menace. I just wonder how did a guy like Bhajji make it to the highest level in India? Is it because things weren't scrutinized so strictly back in 2000? Ojha's action (even if its not reported at the domestic level) is not clean either. Don't want to see bowlers popping all over the world with similar elbow extensions.

Innocent till proven guilty....Bhajji has been cleared twice ....don't drag him into this...and ojha too....we don't have chuckers on this side of the borderB->

[undisputed chap]

Innocent till proven guilty....Bhajji has been cleared twice ....don't drag him into this...and ojha too....we don't have chuckers on this side of the borderB->

But they should be banned from intl cricket anyhow. They are too invaluable for MI to take the riskof them getting injured in odis & tests.

[Old guy]

Brilliant thing from BCCI. What is supposed to be done must be done. Most things start out in an innocent way before turning into a menace. I just wonder how did a guy like Bhajji make it to the highest level in India? Is it because things weren't scrutinized so strictly back in 2000? Ojha's action (even if its not reported at the domestic level) is not clean either. Don't want to see bowlers popping all over the world with similar elbow extensions.

How do you know ojha is not clean ?maybe it's within the range and maybe he was tested ..

[sensible-indian]

How do you know ojha is not clean ?maybe it's within the range and maybe he was tested ..

Clean action means there is no doubt. I mean when we speak about it in general. Ojha's action could be legal but its not clean as in non doubt worthy.

[sensible-indian]

Innocent till proven guilty....Bhajji has been cleared twice ....don't drag him into this...and ojha too....we don't have chuckers on this side of the borderB->

Same logic Ajmal defenders were giving. Even Ajmal was cleared by the prev tests. Those tests hold no value now. Bhajji or Ojha's extension may not be at the level of Ajmal but it isn't perfectly clean to suggest that BCCI roots out bad actions fully. BCCI does a good job but not at the level of Australia or England boards.

[sensible-indian]

But but but your cross border friends want these mind of bowlers as the game has become a batting game.And you shouldnt take away the livelihood of a person.

Aren't they your friends too? :winky:

[kira]

Same logic Ajmal defenders were giving. Bhajji or Ojha's extension may not be at the level of Ajmal but it isn't perfectly clean to suggest that BCCI roots out bad actions fully. BCCI does a good job but not at the level of Australia or England boards.

But ajmal has been proven as chucker...and anyone with the naked eye could see ajmal was a chucker....if ajmal was proven doesn't mean everyone with allegation will also be proven

[Old guy]

Clean action means there is no doubt. I mean when we speak about it in general. Ojha's action could be legal but its not clean as in non doubt worthy.

But no one who matters doubted it...has he been reported by umpire who can watch him live ? Yeah some fans think he chuks but most of them are ignorant about chucking they think bent arm is choking while truth is different and I do not need to explain you as you already know .