It was Ernakulam's Swantons Cricket Club that gave him the launching pad. From then on everything fell in place for Tinu. His graduation from the junior to Ranji Trophy side was smooth. And he was picked to Chennai's MRF Pace Foundation just when he needed that advanced training.

Twenty-seven years ago TC Yohannan brought glory to the country when he won the gold medal in long jump at the 1974 Teheran Asian games. And when it was announced on November 28 that his 22-year-old son Tinu will represent India in cricket, the wheel seemed to have come full circle for the sporting Yohannan family.

Tinu, debuted for Kerala in 1999. In his eight Ranji Trophy appearances for Kerala, he has picked only 24 first-class wickets. However, he is rated to be the fastest bowler in India today. He has two five-wicket hauls in the Ranji Trophy so far and reckons that being selected for the Irani Trophy was a pivotal moment in his career.

The senior Yohannan had a big contribution in his son's success. The father says he got his son admitted in a private college at Chennai so that he could pursue a better cricketing career there. The young cricketer soon got in touch with the MRF Pace Foundation where he learnt his lessons on the art of fast bowling from Dennis Lillee for almost four years.

"Yes, I owe everything to MRF Pace Foundation and I was determined that, after coming this far, I would give everything to the game. I am prepared to work hard, which I already am doing," Yohannan says. He puts in almost eight hours' practice a day.

Tinu is now working as a marketing executive in India Westenses Company at Chennai and is the captain of company team.

This soft-spoken gentle giant has all the right qualities to make a big name for himself in this game. Yohannan swears that whatever he knows about fast bowling has been passed on to him by the legend himself, Dennis Lillee. If Yohannan can reproduce what he has learnt from the great Aussie, India will be well-served for years to come.