Cooper's fairytale journeyKevon Cooper thought his career might be over after doubts were expressed about his bowling action, but he's now reaping dividends in the IPL
Kevon Cooper did not expect to be here. Before the IPL began, the 23-year-old allrounder from Trinidad & Tobago was just hoping he would get a game with Rajasthan Royals. But having picked up seven wickets from his first two matches, he now finds himself in possession of the Purple Cap as the tournament's leading wicket-taker. For good measure, he hit his first ball in the IPL for six. And the second for four. It was a start beyond his wildest expectations, and is a far cry from where Cooper found himself a little over a year ago.
Following the 2011 Caribbean T20, match officials raised concerns about Cooper's bowling action, placing his cricketing future in doubt. Luckily the Trinidad & Tobago government stepped in and sent him and team-mate Sunil Narine to the University of Western Australia in Perth to remodel their actions under the supervision of ICC-approved experts in biomechanics.
Over the course of ten days, using a combination of biomechanical tests and remedial exercises, Cooper practised mornings and evenings to re-learn the seemingly simple art of bowling a cricket ball. He recalled sitting in his room confused and depressed, wondering whether his career was over before it had even really begun. "That was a very difficult time for me," he told ESPNcricinfo. "[But] it taught me to never give up."
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