To most people, Team India means the awesome batting line-up, the guys who score centuries at breathtaking pace. But, as any cricket sage will tell you, to win a Test you need to take 20 wickets. So it’s no surprise that the successful India team of the past couple of years has included a potent bowling attack — especially fast bowlers. If the 1990s saw Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble, the 21st century has gifted India with a more complete attack: Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Irfan Pathan, Lakshmipathy Balaji and Ajit Agarkar. They are all young, few have even reached their prime and they should be around for the next five-odd years, Pathan ideally for another 10.So where’s the problem? Simple: Indian fast bowlers don’t usually last that long. And as a couple break down, the pressure on the others to deliver increases. With Nehra and Zaheer missing in Lahore, Pathan, in only his third Test, had to bowl 40-plus overs. He’s come out of it with flying colours, earning accolades that confirm his prodigious talent. In Pakistan, they say he’s as good as Wasim Akram at the same age. Abdul Qadir goes farther: ‘‘He is better than Wasim at 19.’’ But there’s a long way to go before they reach full greatness. And to get there, they must drive safely. The first problem is that Pathan and Balaji (Indian team physio Andrew Leipus says they are equally talented) are not bowlers out to destroy batsmen with sheer pace but typical Indian seam bowlers trying to do something off the pitch. It’s quite likely, though, that in trying to do too much they exert themselves and do some damage to their bodies. Noted Australian bowling coach Darryl Foster says there is a need for constant monitoring of how Irfan and his young bowling mates perform in matches. ‘‘They are bowling on largely unresponsive pitches in Pakistan. There is a chance that in trying to get rewarded they might get a little too excited and overdo it. Therefore it is important that at any point of time the bowlers are not used in more than five over spells.’’ Another, related, problem — especially among Irfan and Balaji — is the eagerness to be constantly in the action. The Indian coaching say they have to keep toning them down. Leipus says about Irfan: ‘‘During the Lahore Test, this kid kept running in at the nets. Then, under that hot sun, he was ready for a fielding drill as well. I had to keep telling him to take it easy and come under the shade.’’ ASHISH NEHRA: Has a history of injuries. Since his international debut in 1999, his has been a story of constant improvement as a bowler and regularly missed matches because of injuries. Each time he comes back and starts to get into the groove, a new injury comes up ZAHEER KHAN: Since 2001, he has been missing for substantial periods. First, before South Africa 2001. Then came the hamstring tear in Australia and in Pakistan, a recurrence of the hamstring problem AJIT AGARKAR: Whether shin or ankle, he has had all the injuries a fast bowler possibly can. Missed three months of cricket in 1998-99, then four months in 1999,the Australia tour in 2001, the last part of the recent Australia tour and the ODI series in Pakistan JAVAGAL SRINATH: His fingers, often for freak reasons, were never healthy, starting with the 2001 series against Australia, later the same year in Sri Lanka. As the years passed, his shoulder, back, etc became weaker and he broke down more often — CN This is something that concerns even Pakistan’s under-19 coach Aaquib Javed, who has just come back from a World Cup-winning stint with his team. Javed believes that young bowlers should not be overstretched at nets and should be given adequate breaks. ‘‘I always make sure with my boys that they do not bowl more than two-over spells when at the nets. This is very important because they need constant monitoring of their muscle strength and flexibility.’’ This ‘constant monitoring’ he is talking about can work best if there is a pool to choose from. And sadly for India such a situation has never sprung until recently. For the first time ever, India has a pool of fast-medium bowlers to choose from so the workload is shared. Or so it goes in theory, one strongly advocated by Foster and Leipus. Foster’s therapy is simple: throw in the quicks in bursts rather than all of them at one point of time. ‘‘You need to by and large play the best, but if they look a little tired they should be just taken off. What India needs to do is to create a pool of six fast bowlers. If it means having them missing out on one-day game or a Test, so be it. But if you get an outstanding one like Irfan, be careful with him.’’ Words of wisdom, especially when one remembers the story of Javagal Srinath. He was the leader of a small pack but would constantly break down after a length of time. Partly the blame was on the punishing schedules and partly on the unfair workload, not befitting a strike bowler. Indeed, he often ended up being a stock rather than a strike bowler. The same signs are visible in the talented but injury-prone Nehra. ‘‘His ankle will be a recurring problem, one he’ll have to live with’’, says Leipus. ‘‘He’s accepted it, we all have accepted it.’’ As Leipus puts it there is a need for a balance and the best model is playing-recovery time-practice- peak fitness. And he holds out hope as well for the future. ‘‘Indian cricket is passing through an exciting phase. Today bowlers come up from the MRF, NCA and are much more accepting of things like ice packs. They are much more modern and are more accepting. We are moving ahead and are embracing methods along the way.’’
