Best hits of a teen

AS Vishwa Ramkumar settled down on the couch at his parents' place in Adyar and started talking I about how an Indian-origin leggie went on to play for Australia U19, the conversation kept veering back to his father.

- GOMESH S

For it was Ramkumar, a cricketer dad who made Australia his dream destination because of the country's rich sports culture. It was he who gave a cricket ball in Vishwa's hand when he was around six. It has been a long journey together for the father and son.

Growing up in Chennai, Ramkumar was obsessed with cricket; he even played league cricket in the city, but soon realised cricket is an expensive sport.

He chose chartered accountancy instead, travelled across the world before eventually settling down in Australia. So when Vishwa was born, it was obvious that cricket stadiums would be his frequently visiting place.

It comes as no surprise that cricket holds up to major part of the conversations between the father and son. "That's the main bonding factor," recalls the 19-year-old. When I was young, I think nearly every day, he would take me to the nets and we'd just play, come back and watch cricket on the TV together, sometimes go to sleep, watching cricket together," he adds.