After assisting Stokes-Root against Jadeja, Madhya Pradesh's spinner now grinds with Gill and Co. to handle Liam Dawson

India captain Shubman Gill (BCCI Photo)

In the backdrop of a high-stakes Test series, where India trail 2-1 and the pressure is mounting, one name quietly sits at the heart of both dressing rooms — Abhay Tipnis.

The left-arm spinner from Madhya Pradesh, currently based in Manchester as an overseas pro for Didsbury Cricket Club, has had an unusual fortnight. Just before the third Test at Lord’s, Tipnis was in the England camp, helping the likes of Joe Root and Ben Stokes prepare for Ravindra Jadeja’s relentless left-arm spin. Now, as India prepare to face Liam Dawson in the fourth Test, Tipnis has switched sides, this time donning the role of a net bowler for India.

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With Shoaib Bashir sidelined due to injury, England called up Dawson as their spin option for the crucial fourth Test. In response, India wanted someone who could simulate Dawson’s bowling and they found their answer in Tipnis.

This isn’t Tipnis’s first brush with elite cricket. While helping England earlier, he was given specific instructions from Stokes, Root, and spin coach Jeetan Patel on how to mimic Jadeja’s angles and pace. “Joe Root was telling me how I should try to bowl slightly quicker to imitate Jadeja… and Stokes asked me to bowl into the rough,” Tipnis had said after the session. It was a valuable opportunity for the 23-year-old to test himself against some of the best players of spin in the world.

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Now, standing at the other end of the same rivalry, Tipnis is bowling to India’s top order — Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. These are batters known not just for their footwork, but for taking the attack to spin, making this experience both intense and invaluable for him.

The contrast is telling. At Lord’s, it was about helping Stokes neutralise Jadeja. In Manchester, it’s about helping Indian batters decode Dawson. Two sides. Two roles. One bowler in the middle of it all.

In an age where Test cricket often thrives on fine margins, Abhay Tipnis may not feature on the scorecard but he’s quietly bowling his way into the thick of it, bridging teams, styles, and strategies in a way few net bowlers ever do.