You know that guy who bowls in the nets while the stars prepare for battle? The one nobody notices? Well, sometimes that forgotten face goes on to steal the spotlight. Indian cricket has this beautiful habit of turning practice-session workers into match-winners. These bowlers started as glorified bowling machines, hurling deliveries at superstars during training sessions. But somewhere between those thankless hours and the bright lights, they grabbed their chance and refused to let go.
Here’s the thing about net bowlers. They’re invisible until they’re not. One good spell, one sharp eye from a coach, one injury to a regular player, and suddenly the guy who was packing up cones yesterday is representing his country today. These are those stories. Ten cricketers who went from cricket’s backroom to its front pages.
10. Khaleel Ahmed: The Left-Arm Dream That Started in Practice Nets
Khaleel Ahmed traveled to England in 2019 as one of four net bowlers for India’s World Cup campaign. At that point, he was just another promising left-arm pacer from Rajasthan, someone the selectors thought could provide quality practice. He’d already made his international debut by then, but being picked as a net bowler for the World Cup wasn’t exactly a promotion. Still, Khaleel used every session to showcase his skills, bowling with the kind of intensity that separates the hungry from the comfortable. The exposure helped him refine his craft under the watchful eyes of India’s coaching staff.
He went on to become a regular white-ball option for India, particularly excelling in limited-overs formats where his left-arm angle troubled batsmen. His ability to swing the new ball and nail yorkers at the death made him valuable in T20 cricket. The IPL came calling, and Khaleel became a sought-after asset for franchises looking for left-arm variety. That World Cup net bowling stint wasn’t a step back. It was preparation for what came next. 10
9. Avesh Khan: From Practice Sessions to Franchise Favorite
Avesh Khan knows the net bowler life well. He was picked as a net bowler for the 2019 World Cup alongside Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, and Navdeep Saini. The selectors saw something raw in this Madhya Pradesh pacer who could generate genuine pace and make the ball talk. But injuries kept derailing his journey just when doors started opening. He traveled with India to England in 2021 after starring performances for Delhi Capitals in the IPL, only to injure his thumb during a tour game and head back home.
That kind of luck breaks some players. Avesh just kept working. His domestic performances were too consistent to ignore, and his IPL displays too electric to overlook. The pace, the aggression, the ability to bowl difficult overs made him a franchise darling. Teams started bidding serious money for him at auctions. He eventually broke through into the Indian setup, proving that net bowling stints aren’t dead ends. They’re auditions. And Avesh passed his with flying colors, turning practice opportunities into a professional career. 9
8. Arshdeep Singh: The Yorker King Who Started as Support Staff
In June 2021, Arshdeep Singh was named as one of five net bowlers for India’s tour of Sri Lanka. He wasn’t part of the main squad. He was there to help the main squad prepare. But anyone who’d watched him in the IPL knew this kid had something special. That left-arm angle, those pinpoint yorkers at the death, the calm head under pressure. Punjab Kings had already discovered what he could do in crunch situations. The Sri Lanka tour gave him a close-up view of international cricket’s demands and standards.
Fast forward to now, and Arshdeep has become India’s go-to death bowler in T20 cricket. He made history by becoming the first Indian bowler to achieve certain T20 milestones, breaking records with his consistent wicket-taking ability. His journey from net bowler to national team regular took less time than most players spend waiting for a call-up. The difference? He was ready when the call came. Those net sessions in Sri Lanka weren’t just practice. They were his finishing school. 8
7. Venkatesh Iyer: The All-Rounder Who Surprised Everyone
Venkatesh Iyer’s inclusion as a net bowler for the T20 World Cup raised eyebrows. He wasn’t known primarily as a bowler. Kolkata Knight Riders had made him famous as an opening batsman with a cool temperament and clean striking. Yes, he could bowl some seam-up stuff, but calling him a net bowler seemed odd. The selectors saw value in having someone who could bat, bowl, and provide versatile practice scenarios. Sometimes teams need quality opposition in the nets, not just specialist bowlers. Iyer fit that bill perfectly. His calm demeanor and professional approach made him valuable in practice sessions.
The exposure to the international setup, even as support staff, accelerated his growth. He got to observe how the best prepared, how they handled pressure, how they thought about the game. That education paid off. Iyer went from Kolkata Knight Riders’ surprise package to someone knocking on India’s door across formats. The “Stephen Fleming clone” tag stuck because of his left-handed elegance and composed style. Being a net bowler didn’t define him. It refined him. 7
6. Navdeep Saini: The Delhi Pacer Who Seized His Moment
Navdeep Saini’s story reads like a Bollywood script. Son of a driver from Haryana, he became Delhi’s leading wicket-taker in domestic cricket through sheer pace and determination. In 2019, he was named as one of the net bowlers for India’s World Cup squad in England. He’d already shown his quality by taking 34 wickets in the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy season and helping Delhi reach the finals. The World Cup net bowling stint was both an honor and a test of patience. Watching others play while you set up cones isn’t easy. But Saini kept his head down and his arm speed up.
His raw pace caught attention during practice sessions. The coaching staff saw a bowler who could trouble batsmen with bounce and movement. Soon after that World Cup, Navdeep made his ODI and T20I debuts during the tour of West Indies. He bowled a wicket-maiden in his debut T20I match’s final over, dismissing Kieron Pollard and earning man of the match honors. From net bowler to match-winner in months. That’s not luck. That’s readiness meeting opportunity. 6
5. Deepak Chahar: The Swing King Who Made History
Deepak Chahar was among the four net bowlers selected for the 2019 World Cup, traveling to England to help India’s main squad prepare. At that time, he was already making waves with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, where MS Dhoni had spotted his potential and polished his skills. Chahar’s ability to swing the new ball both ways made him a nightmare in practice sessions. But being a net bowler at a World Cup when you’ve proven yourself in the IPL? That’s tough to swallow. Chahar didn’t complain. He used every session to learn from India’s experienced bowlers and coaches. The lessons stuck.
Later in 2019, during Bangladesh’s tour of India, Chahar became the first Indian male bowler to take a T20I hat-trick. Not just that, he finished with figures of 3.2-0-7-6, the best bowling performance by any bowler in T20I history at that point. Four of those six wickets came at the death, showcasing skills he’d worked on relentlessly. From World Cup net bowler to record-breaker in the same year. Under Dhoni’s guidance at CSK, he’d become a powerplay specialist and a death-overs threat. The net bowling role wasn’t a setback. It was a steppingstone. 5
4. Prasidh Krishna: The Karnataka Giant Who Rose Through Ranks
Prasidh Krishna’s journey shows that talent finds its way through any door. This tall, lanky pacer from Karnataka made his first-class debut against Bangladesh A and immediately grabbed a five-wicket haul. The boy could bowl, and scouts noticed. Kolkata Knight Riders signed him as a replacement for an injured player in 2018, and he made his IPL debut that season. While there’s less documented evidence of him being a traditional net bowler, he represents the category of players who worked their way up through domestic cricket’s grinding nets and practice sessions. Born on February 19, 1996, he spent years perfecting his craft in Karnataka’s domestic setup before getting national recognition.
His right-arm fast-medium bowling, combined with his 6-foot-2-inch frame, generated awkward bounce that troubled batsmen. He made his ODI debut against England in 2021 and his Test debut against South Africa in 2023. Rajasthan Royals bought him for INR 10 crores in 2022, recognizing his potential as a wicket-taking fast bowler. From Karnataka’s nets to India’s fast bowling arsenal, Prasidh proved that consistent domestic performances eventually force selectors’ hands. 4
3. Shardul Thakur: The Bits-and-Pieces Player Who Proved Everyone Wrong
Shardul Thakur might not have a widely publicized net bowler origin story, but he embodies the spirit of this list. He’s the guy who was always around the squad, always ready, always willing to do the dirty work. His breakthrough came not through spectacular performances but through reliable ones. Shardul became known as a batting all-rounder who could bowl, or a bowling all-rounder who could bat, depending on what the team needed. Critics called him a “bits and pieces” player. He responded by winning matches.
His ability to break partnerships, score crucial lower-order runs, and deliver in pressure situations made him valuable across formats. Teams often underestimate players like Shardul. They see someone who’s good at several things but not great at one thing. But cricket teams need these players who fill gaps and solve problems. Shardul’s journey through domestic cricket, IPL performances, and eventually international opportunities mirrors the net bowler’s path: stay ready, stay humble, and grab your chance when it comes. He may not have started as a traditional net bowler, but he lived their ethos. 3
2. Mohammed Siraj: From Bouncing KL Rahul to Leading India’s Attack
Mohammed Siraj’s transformation is the stuff of legends. In 2016, he was a nobody, a net bowler for Royal Challengers Bangalore who’d played just one Ranji Trophy match before being dropped. Then came that fateful day in Hyderabad when RCB needed practice bowlers. Siraj showed up and started peppering the batsmen with bouncers. KL Rahul got annoyed and asked him, “Do you only know how to bowl bouncers?”. Siraj didn’t just bounce Rahul. He troubled Virat Kohli and everyone else with his pace and attitude. RCB’s assistant coach Bharat Arun was impressed. He didn’t know Siraj’s name but remembered his face. Weeks later, Arun became Hyderabad’s Ranji Trophy coach and tracked down “that net bowler from the RCB session.” He immediately put Siraj in the team.
That season, Siraj became Hyderabad’s highest wicket-taker and finished third overall in domestic cricket. Fast forward to today, and Mohammed Siraj is India’s frontline fast bowler across formats. He took 23 wickets in the Test series against England, the highest by any bowler from either side. From net bowler to match-winner. From anonymity to stardom. That’s the Siraj story. 2
1. T Natarajan: The Net Bowler Who Made History Across Three Formats
T Natarajan is the ultimate net bowler success story. He traveled to Australia in 2020 as a net bowler, someone meant to help India’s main squad prepare for the grueling tour. Nobody expected him to play a single match. Cricket had other plans. Injuries ravaged India’s squad. One by one, frontline bowlers went down. Natarajan kept bowling in the nets, showcasing his unique left-arm angle and pinpoint yorkers.
The team management noticed. First, they picked him for the T20I series. He performed. Then they called him up for ODIs. He delivered again. Finally, in a moment that will forever define his career, Natarajan made his Test debut. He became the first Indian cricketer to make his international debut across all three formats on the same tour. Think about that. He came as a practice bowler and left as a trailblazer. His death-over Yorkers became his signature, and his humble demeanor won hearts.
Natarajan’s journey from Tamil Nadu’s villages to Australia’s biggest stadiums proves that talent, when combined with opportunity and readiness, creates magic. He represents every net bowler’s dream: that one day, someone will notice you’re too good to be just setting up practice sessions.
Think we missed someone who deserves a spot on this list? Drop their name in the comments and tell us why they should be here