Three pace bowlers to get training in Indian academy
*From Abdul Mohi Shah
*ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to send three promising pace bowlers, most probably from the A and junior teams’ set up, to get training from the former Australian great Dennis Lillee at the MRF Academy in India.
The Australia bowling legend had been training the pace bowlers in India for over a decade now and has succeeded in producing a crop of pace bowlers for the Indian cricket.
The PCB is also planning to send three or four pace bowlers to get training at the academy to get training under Lillee. “The matter of sending bowlers to train in India has been discussed in the PCB top brass meeting and most of the PCB officials including the selectors favoured the idea of sending the bowlers to the Lillee run academy,” a PCB official told ‘The News’.
Leading Indian fast bowlers like Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Parsad, Zaheer Khan and Balaji all got training at the Lillee run MRF academy and later served or are still serving Indian cricket. “There is no doubt that when it comes to talent, Pakistan pacers are much higher placed than that of India. However, what they need is proper coaching and guidance from a renowned coach and expert in the field. If we consider this aspect then there is no better place around than the academy run by Lillee in India,” the official said.
“The training at the Indian Academy would be cheaper when compared to the Australian Academy. Training three or four fast bowlers at the Australian academy and looking after their all expenditure would be definitely cost very high. However, the training expenditures at the MRF academy in Madras would be cheaper in comparison,” the official said.
Lillee’s academy in India imparts training to different age groups including under-15, 17, 19, and 22. However, it is expected that Pakistan would only send those bowlers for training who fall in the A category. “Those who are knocking at the doors of Test cricket or played one or two Tests and or improving day by day would be sent for training,” the official said.
The bowlers are expected to join the academy in summer and those would be considered for selection who are available and are not engaged with any club or county in England. “However, if some promising players engaged with clubs in England are willing to get training, their case could also be considered,” he said.
The bowlers had been getting training at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore off and on but there is no expert bowling coach attached there who could polish their skills. The PCB has recently denied Waqar Younis a long term coaching assignments. Former Test cricketer Wasim Akram though showed his interest in a coaching assignment, but never approached the PCB seriously for the job and is too committed with his commentary assignments.
The PCB has therefore been considering the option of sending the bowlers to Lillee for the much needed guidance, coaching and help.
Those who are in the running to get training and coaching abroad included Mohammad Asif, Najaf Shah, Mohammad Irshad, Mohammad Khalil and Wahab Riaz.
Source: http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/index.html (09/06/2005)
What do you make of this chaps? Why can’t the PCB make use of the so called National Cricket Academy rather then sending the players to India?
And the potential players which are likely to be sent especially Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Khalil. From what I have seen of them they are not international standards. I am sure there are better deserving bowlers in Pakistan then them.
, apni izzat pe laat maar dee. Also the choice of bowlers: Asif, Khalil, Najaf Shah… they are more like medium pacers, not fasties like Irshad, Yasir Ali. They should also send (if they are really sending) Riaz Afridi and Junaid Zia, they are better prospects I believe.