When we talk about cricket, we often focus on the scoreboard, the runs scored, and the wickets claimed. But behind every searing 140+ km/h delivery or a calculated run-chase lies a deep web of biomechanics, tactical insight, and a lifelong passion for the game.
Recently, the Spoda team—featuring co-founder Vibhu Pillai and his teammates Pratyush Harsh, and Prabal Saha—sat down for an exclusive kickoff chat with our very first expert challenger, ex fast bowler, content creator and cricket analyst Aryan Sharma, who goes by @aryanoncrease on Instagram. So let’s enjoy our deep dive conversation with Aryan.
Who is Aryan Sharma?
Aryan Sharma is a passionate fast bowler, cricket content creator and analyst. Sparked by the unforgettable magic of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s iconic six during the 2011 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, Aryan’s deep-rooted fandom evolved into a dedicated career in cricket content creation. Known for his sharp tactical eye and deep technical appreciation for fast bowling biomechanics and match strategies, he brings a unique analytical lens to the sport—while proudly honoring domestic cricket history and trained with Abdul Samad in the same academy.
The Spark: A 2011 World Cup Memory
When Pratyush asked about how did he gained interest in cricket then he said that
“Actually, it’s around the 2011 World Cup… I was not a big fan of cricket, but at that time when MS hit that six… and India won the finals, I started taking interest in cricket and became a fan of MS.
After 2011, he joined a local J&K cricket club and trained with some famous cricketers like Abdul Samad and played as a fast bowler for club, district and college level but due to injuries and study pressure he had to leave professional cricket.
How did Aryan Sharma start his career As Cricket Content Creator?
Aryan Sharma is a regular cricket follower and during live cricket matches, he used to analyse the technical mechanism of bowlers and batters.
Even though he left professional cricket, he still guides junior bowlers and even created a small club named “predators” .
On being asked about the thought process behind getting started as a cricket content creator, Aryan Sharma said that one day his friends praised his cricketing acumen and pushed him towards cricket content creation. As with anyone else, he was hesitant early on how to begin, what things to do, but things fell into place quickly.
“But when I realized that I am 26 years old and time is passing quickly then I started the career as a cricket content creator and some big creators like Vaibhav Gulati and crickinspire support me and tell me the important things and gave tips to gain success in this field.”
The Art of Fast Bowling: Mechanics, DNA, and Aggression
When asked about the thought process during bowling then he said that there are 2 types of bowlers, one relies on swing & has a clean action and second the one relies on strength and power.
It all comes down to the muscle fabric and how different bowlers are built. If you look at guys like Dale Steyn or Jofra Archer, their muscle fabrics are much more flexible, and their muscles have a higher level of elasticity. They have that whip-like action.
On the other side, you have bowlers who rely on more pure strength—like Tino Best or Shoaib Akhtar. And then there are guys who just go with the natural flow, like Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Chris Woakes, who get great swings and run smoothly right up to the crease. Personally, my action is a bit more like Chris Woakes. I used to try to put a lot more force into it and stress my lower back to squeeze out extra pace, but after dealing with injuries, I’ve adjusted.
What is one thing in Cricket that Aryan can speak about the most?
”Oh, fast bowling mechanics—I can talk about it endlessly. In fact, I talk about it for hours with younger guys on our team who are around 20 or 21 and playing college tournaments. They’ll call me up and talk for an hour or two straight about how they changed their action or how they performed.”
“The human body simply isn’t sustainable for fast bowling. Every single fast bowler has surgeries; look at how many times Shoaib Akhtar had knee surgeries. If your action mechanics aren’t right, you are guaranteed to blow out your lower back or tear your axial. Those two things are going to happen. And if you don’t take proper amino acids and protein—if your diet isn’t right—your shoulders will give out too. Look at Hardik Pandya as a prime example; the guy breaks down every few days because of it.”
“Since I’m not playing professional cricket anymore where I need to run in and risk breaking my legs, I’ve dialled back the raw pace. Now, I bowl at a good length, and it all depends on the conditions. If it’s a day game and the pitch is a bit grassy, I look for a swing. If the pitch is slow and holding up, I look to bring out my cutters. My leg cutter is pretty good, and I can mix in a solid back-of-the-hand slower ball to catch batsmen off guard.”
When discussion turned to what makes an elite fast bowler, Aryan emphasized that pace isn’t just about raw muscle or being a giant bodybuilder; fast bowlers are born with a natural genetic gift, and fast bowling is a masterclass in human body mechanics:
“Remember, what cricket experts say is that a fast bowler is always born, not made. Even if you bring someone who is seven or eight feet tall, a bodybuilder brother cannot bowl… it is genetically the way God made them.”
Drawing inspiration from legendary bowling templates like Dennis Lillee, the MRF Pace Academy, and historical speeds touching the 161 km/h mark, Aryan broke down why the entire run-up, crease mark, first foot placement, release, and follow-through dictate whether a bowler succeeds or gets injured:
“Being an engineer Mechanics is my subject! Fast bowling is totally upon mechanics. From your run-up, as you go to mark your crease, the moment your first foot lands for the run-up all the way through your delivery and your follow-through—there are so many factors. If your line and length and everything aren’t according to mechanics, either you’ll get hit out of the ground, your career will end, or you’ll get injured.”
We threw a classic tactical question at him: If you had to pick a bowler to bowl for your life, would you want a swing artist like James Anderson or Zaheer Khan, or an aggressive enforcer like Glenn McGrath or Dale Steyn? —then Aryan pointed straight to the ultimate package: a bowler who swings the new ball at 135-140 km/h, beats the batsman repeatedly, and then comes back later with a hard, bouncing ball or reverse swing to completely dominate:
“If you have a bowler in your team with pace around 135 to 140 km/h with the new ball and delivering unplayable outswingers… beating the batsman multiple times… after the ball gets a bit harder, stopping the swing but banging in 150 km/h bouncers, and later shining the ball for reverse swing… that is the bowler I love the most!”
”I genuinely love bowlers who stare down the batsman and win through intimidation,” Aryan shared.
Underrated Stars: Daryl Mitchell and Rassie van der Dussen
Next up, we wanted to know who Aryan thinks deserves way more hype than they currently get.
- Daryl Mitchell: Aryan pointed straight to New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell as a powerhouse performer who flies under the radar compared to other global superstars.
- Rassie van der Dussen: Speaking about South Africa, Aryan talked about how players like Rassie van der Dussen slotted right into the middle order after legends like AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis retired, maintaining a stellar 45+ batting average without ever getting the massive mainstream glorification they deserve.
Rapid-Fire with Aryan Sharma
To cap off the technical discussion, our host Pratyush Harsh put Aryan through a quick-fire round to reveal his ultimate cricket preferences:
- Favorite Batter: AB de Villiers
- Player for a Must-Win Match: Virat Kohli
- Favorite Cricket Ground: Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
- Underrated Standouts: Daryl Mitchell and South African rising star like Mathew Breetzke.
A Special Connection to Jammu & Kashmir Cricket
As we wrapped up, Aryan shared a personal piece of cricket heritage—possessing a photograph alongside Parvez Rasool, recognized as the historic first player from Jammu and Kashmir to represent the Indian national team. That rich appreciation for domestic roots and cricketing pioneers is exactly what makes Aryan’s perspective unique.