James with Biju at a training session.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
When former Australia under-19 player John James returned to his roots in Kerala, it was not only to connect with his family but also to solve one of cricket’s most difficult puzzles: mastering spin on sub-continental pitches.
He contacted renowned coach Biju George through a family friend and arranged a week-long stint to hone his skills. “Training on sub-continental surfaces was on my bucket list for a while. So, when I finally decided to visit Kerala after three years, I also packed my cricket kit. Biju sir was kind enough to take time off his busy schedule to help me fine tune my game, especially against spin bowling,’’ said James, whose parents migrated to Australia when he was two months old.
For James, the sessions at The Sports Village Cricket Academy were an eye-opener and a departure from the diet of pace back home in Sydney.
“I don’t get many opportunities to face spinners in Australia. Here, I faced a variety, including a mystery spinner and a leg-spinner who bowled with a medium-pacer’s run-up. It was an incredibly enriching experience. Biju sir improved my technique, especially my front-foot movement against spin. He pointed out that my head was falling back, which prevented me from connecting the ball cleanly,’’ added James.
Biju praised the 19-year-old’s adaptability. “Since he has to face spinners in the middle-order, we focused entirely on that. He is a fast learner and a promising cricketer.’’
Best days
James’ cricket journey has already featured brushes with modern greats. He has faced Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins in the nets and during the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, he watched his idols from close quarters. “Those were probably the three best days of my life. I was able to observe them and learn how they thought and executed their plans,” James said.
The all-rounder has now set his sights on securing a rookie deal with New South Wales (NSW) for the upcoming season. “I am close to getting a contract with NSW. To do that, I need to perform well in the Sydney Premier League for my club Parramatta District Cricket Club,’’ he concluded.
Published – July 25, 2026 07:01 pm IST
