Netherlands, the surprise entrant in the 2023 World Cup, was among the first teams to arrive in India for the upcoming cricket extravaganza. Upon their arrival, the team management initiated a search for skilled net bowlers to aid in their preparations.
In a cricket-loving nation like India, the Netherlands team was inundated with responses from across the country. After evaluating more than 10,000 applicants who had submitted videos via a mobile app, the Dutch management finalized their selection by handpicking four promising bowlers.
One of the fortunate individuals chosen by the Dutch management for this role was Lokesh Kumar, a 29-year-old Swiggy food delivery executive from Chennai, who nurtures a dream of securing a spot in the IPL.
A Glimpse into Lokesh Kumar’s Life
Lokesh Kumar, hailing from Chennai, juggles two roles in his life. By day, he works as a food delivery executive for Swiggy, ensuring his livelihood. By night and on weekends, he passionately pursues his cricketing dreams. Cricket is his foremost passion, and he has masterfully balanced his love for the game with his day job since joining Swiggy in 2018.
Kumar rarely misses TNCA league matches, typically held on weekends, ensuring that cricket remains his top priority after a week’s worth of work.
Kumar initially began his cricket journey as a pace bowler but later transformed into a mysterious spinner. He currently plays for Indian Oil RO (S&RC) in the fourth division, following four years in the fifth division.
Lokesh Kumar’s meteoric rise from a food delivery executive to a fourth division cricketer and now a net bowler for a World Cup team serves as a testament to the unsung heroes of cricket. Many net bowlers in India, like Kumar, hail from diverse backgrounds and must balance their passion for the sport with their responsibilities.
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The 29-year-old aspiring cricketer from Tamil Nadu is set to assist some of the Netherlands’ top batters in their preparations for the 2023 World Cup. Their campaign begins with a match against Pakistan on October 6 in Hyderabad.