Who is Salam Bayash? 3 interesting facts about Tilak Varma’s first coach
The first coach of any cricketer is special. A lot of emphasis must be placed on the former as they play a major role in shaping his/ her career and guiding him/her towards the right path.
Hyderabad captain Tilak Varma, who plies his trade for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, has earned four ODI and 13 T20I caps for India already, and a lot of his success is due to the man who stands behind him.
His first coach, Salam Bayash, played a major role in his success, and no wonder the southpaw waxes lyrical about him whenever asked about his earliest influences.
Tilak has credited Mr Bayash for the growth that he has had in his young career, and has often referred to the latter as a godfather-like figure in his life.
In this listicle, we will take a look at three interesting facts about Mr Bayash:
#1 He used to take Tilak on his two-wheeler to practice
It goes without saying that Mr Bayash was like a godfather to Tilak. Just to make sure that his ward faced a lot of balls in practice and got to express himself in matches across the city, he used to take him along with him on his two-wheeler.
Tilak used to ride pillion behind Mr Bayash while the latter took him from a practice session at his academy to grounds all across the city in search of friendly matches or further practice sessions which would help him develop his game further.
One can safely say that it was due to Mr Bayash's persistence and Tilak's dedication that he has scaled the heights he has done so far.
#2 He now runs an academy called Leegala Sports
Mr Bayash runs an academy called Leegala Sports in Lingampally, on the northwestern fringes of Hyderabad.
While Tilak trains there whenever he is not on India or Hyderabad duty, a lot of other top players of the state too work under Mr Bayash.
He keeps a dutiful eye on all his students and makes sure that everyone follows the rigorous discipline and code of conduct of the place as set down by him.
Hyderabad woman cricketer Trisha Poojitha, who was picked up by Gujarat Giants in the Women's Premier League this season, is also a student of his.
#3 He was the fielding coach of Nalgonda Lions
Mr Bayash was the fielding coach of the now-defunct Nalgonda Lions in the inaugural Telangana T20 League held in 2018.
The Lions, however, did not do too well in this tournament, and unfortunately, the competition was scrapped altogether by the Hyderabad Cricket Association.
Mr Bayash bagged the gig owing to his relentless focus on fielding, and his insistence upon this skill can be seen, with Tilak being one of the finest fielders in the country today.