“It feels like a dream,” said G. Periyaswamy on his selection in the Tamil Nadu side.
His is an incredible story. Periyaswamy was just two when he lost complete vision in his right eye following a bout of small pox.
As he grew up in Salem — he battled poverty as well — Periyasamy found relief and joy in bowling. “Pace bowling came naturally to me,” he said to The Hindu on Tuesday.
And he was blessed with a sling-arm action, like his idol Lasith Malinga. Periyaswmay said, “Bowling with one eye, I adjusted to it.”
He targetted the stumps with one eye, found a friend with a similar story in Tamil Nadu seamer T. Natarajan, journeyed to Chennai and was playing in the TNCA second division when signed by Chepauk Super Gillies.
His scorching, swinging yorkers finding the mark — he bowls close to 140 kmph — Periyaswamy emerged the bowler of the TNPL.
His astonishing story of courage, strength of mind and skill continues.
