APS Cricket: Brighton Grammar School leg-spinner Kaevish Bhasin has spun into his school’s record books

A leg-spinning all-rounder playing years above his class stood alongside a former Australian Test batter on debut, and he didn’t waste any time showcasing his potential out in the middle.

A crafty leg-spinner catching attention in Melbourne’s south-east is a story Australian cricket followers know far too well.

While 13-year-old Kaevish Bhasin may not have much more in common with the late great Shane Warne, he has announced himself as an all-rounder to hold high hopes for.

Perhaps he against India’s Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the youngest player ever drafted into the Indian Premier League at age 13, is the matchup of the future.

Bhasin, who bowls right and bats left, has already represented Victoria at under-12 level and last weekend scored an early career record.

Bhasin, a Year 8 student at Brighton Grammar School, became the youngest First XI debutant at the prestigious school since former Australian Test opener Will Pucovski.

His debut couldn’t have gone much better either, taking 1-32 and hitting the winning runs against Wesley College.

Bhasin is still pinching himself about his new piece of history.

“I am lost for words, playing in the First XI as a Year 8 is quite special,” Bhasin said.

“It (cricket) is my talent but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone, especially the coach and all the players.”

Kaevish Bhasin batting. Picture: David Caird

Brighton Head of Sport Jack Joslin said Bhasin was given an opportunity in the pre-season and flourished.

“We gave him a crack in the pre-season and it came to light that pretty early that he can handle himself,” Joslin said.

At APS First XI level Bhasin is more of a bowling all-rounder – but put him against the right bowlers and he can score a big hundred too.

Bhasin has already made scores of 112 off 102 balls for Ormond’s Fourth XI as well as 54 off 26 balls in the Under-14s this season.

He plays three games a week for two different clubs in the height of the Aussie summer but he donned the yellow of the Chennai Super Kings’ Academy during the last school holidays.

It was there, under the guidance of one of the world’s brightest young cricketers, he developed a mindset he believes is helping him out in the middle.

“I trained with a few of the players who are in the team and then obviously the under-16s junior squad,” Bhasin said.

“Rachin Ravindra (helped me), he was there for that time and a little bit after I left – he is obviously a spinner, a little bit different to me because he’s an offie.

“But his mindset is amazing and the way he took me under his wing was great.

“I reckon the biggest lesson was not really in cricket, it was to have fun and not overthink the sport.

“He told me that when he’s playing he doesn’t overthink the game and treats playing in front of huge crowds as under-12s where no one was watching to have a clear mind.”

Bhasin was taken under the wing by top Kiwi Rachin Ravindra. Picture: David Caird

Despite the influence of a top international cricketer, Bhasin says his Dad Kamal is his greatest inspiration and supporter.

Kamal watched Kaevish pick up a cricket bat at age five and recognised by age seven that his son had a future in the sport.

“By seven we could see he had a good understanding of how to play cricket,” Kamal said.

“Coming from an Indian background, it’s the only sport we preach.

“Kaevish works very hard, he trains four days a week and then plays three games over the weekend.

“I think what’s great about his cricket is he’s got nice leadership skills and calm composure, he is the captain for two of the other teams he plays for.

“He’s come a long way both on and off the field.”

Bhasin will be wearing different colours to his Indian-born father when they attend the Boxing Day Test later this year but, in good news for the Aussies, he pledged his allegiance to the green and gold.

“The trials for Victoria’s under-15s are coming up so that’s my first goal but then the biggest goal is to obviously play for Australia,” Bhasin said.