India's bowling stock for England tour, 2011

[deepak_sach]

Bridgetown: India's young fast bowler, who picked up a career best six for 55 against the West Indies on the third day of the second cricket Test, said sticking to strengths was key to his success. The 22-year-old Delhi boy has suffered several ups and down in his five-year-old international career. On Thursday, his resilience finally paid off as he bowled out the West Indies for 190 on a lively track at the Kensington Oval. He also became the fifth youngest bowler to pick up his 100th Test wicket in just his 33rd Test appearance. "Everyone wants to be a Test cricketer. Especially as a bowler because if you don't bowl well in the first spell, you still get a chance to come back for a second spell or a third spell. "I lost my pace and I lost my rhythm but now I've learnt to stick to whatever your strength is. In Test matches, you have to be patient, that's why it's called Test cricket," he said. Sharma said he never expected to be the fifth youngest to get 100 Test wickets. Only compatriot Kapil Dev, New Zealand's Daniel Vettori, Pakistan's Waqar Younis and teammate Harbhajan Singh were younger than Sharma when they took their 100th Test wicket. "When I started playing cricket. I obviously never expected to be the fifth youngest to take 100 wickets in Tests. Especially because in the last five years I've seen so many ups and downs. I've struggled with my bowling," he said. Asked about his strengths, Sharma said: "Obviously, pace and bounce is my strength in bowling. Even if I'm doing well with my swing, I don't want to lose my pace and bounce."

[express bowling]

A very heartening interview. He is perhaps the first Indian bowler who has gained back pace after losing it, that is the best part -- a very good sign.

[rkt.india]

He lost pace because he changed his bowling style and trying to develop something else which he did not possess and in that process lost his rhythm and pace because his bowling technique went awry after he made those changes, but now he is back to his strength through which he made his name that is inswing and bounce at pace and left all other alterations which is good. A bowler must concentrate on his strength, not every one can out swing it like Steyn or Sreeshanth or PK which he tried to do but failed miserably. His decision to concentrate on his strength came at the right time.

[ShebbySB]

Now he has developed the "Legcutter" also which leves the right-handers at pace.He has beaten Samules several times yesterday with that delivery which was going away from the righthanders after hitting the seam.So Pace+Bounce+Movement+Desire+Wicket-taking ability=Ishant Sharma

[gakgupta]

It was a very good sight to see Indian bowler hitting batsmen considerably on the helmet. Pace, intelligent and movement....good combination

[rkt.india]

http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/42384/the-return-of-ishant-sharma/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=news&utm_campaign=gadget It might have been another rain-interrupted day in Barbados, but in whatever play was possible, it was India who came out ahead. The lead of 11 runs is not significant in itself, but the manner in which it was achieved will put smiles on Indian faces. Especially because Ishant Sharma seems to have rediscovered his mojo, and is bowling with fire, accuracy and occasional venom. That India got a lead at all, was entirely due to Ishant's haul of 6/55, which ensured that even though West Indies had a great chance to push India on the back-foot, they couldn't take it. When he announced himself on the world stage with that spell to Ricky Ponting in Perth, Ishant Sharma set the pulses of not just Indian but world cricket fans racing. Here was a lad who was young, who seemed prodigiously talented, and who didn't shy away from a heavy workload - it was an understandably exciting combination. And for a while, Ishant lived up to the expectations. When the Australians returned to tour India in late 2008 for a four Test series, it was his finest hour, with a Man-of-the-Series performance. He continued to have Ricky Ponting's number, and seemed destined to give India it's first lethal fast-bowling pair in tandem with Zaheer Khan. That, however, is when things began to unravel. After the home series against Australia, India's season continued with a two-Test series against England at home and then an away tour to New Zealand. Ishant's performance dipped a little against England and New Zealand, but not alarmingly so. After all, he had just come off a superb performance against the-then Number One side in the world, and it was understandable that for a man still finding his feet in international cricket, the same levels of performance might not be sustained. Moreover, the dip in form was not so pronounced as to cause worries. The worries though, would come soon enough. Ishant had been a regular member of the Indian team for about a year and a half, had delivered fairly consistent performances with a few outstanding peaks, and seemed set to go from strength to strength. However, what happened was quite the opposite. Ishant went into a downward spiral that had people moaning about the strange quality of Indian pacemen who shone for a season, bowled fast and well - and then inexplicably lost pace, sting, and seemingly the will to put in the hard yards. For more than a year, it looked like Ishant would join the ranks of Irfan Pathan, RP Singh et al as one season wonders. Test matches were his forte, with his performance in limited overs matches not really standing out. But his Test match average rapidly deteriorated, with the wickets drying up. Even his economy rate in Tests shot up to nearly 4 runs an over during this period, and it was fair to say Ishant had gone from prodigy to liability. It seemed tragic that a man who seemed so well equipped to succeed was fading away. He had pace, he had height, he had the ability to bowl those unplayable balls, the stamina to bowl long spells, and a superb guide in Zaheer Khan - and yet it hadn't gelled as well as India had hoped. What wasn't visible though, was the fact that Ishant's commitment never wavered. When Venkatesh Prasad was summarily dismissed as India's bowling coach, he had more than once singled out Ishant for his work ethic in the nets. Prasad - no stranger to hard work himself - said that of all the young pace bowlers in the Indian squad, it was Ishant who trained with the most dedication and who was most willing to put in the hard yards. That Ishant could still continue to work hard with a will, even when his bowling results had nose-dived, spoke well of the steel inside him. It seemed that turn-around-the-corner was imminent, and it poetically it came against his favourite team - Australia. With India's ascent to Number One in the Test rankings, an elongated ODI series against the Aussies was hastily re-worked to include two Tests, and though the series is remembered (justly so) for VVS Laxman's incredible heroics, it marked the renaissance of Ishant Sharma. His batting in the Mohali Test and the support he gave to Laxman are more well remembered, but Ishant the bowler was re-born too. The bite was back in the bowling - and even though there were a few more no-balls than necessary, it was heartening to see. The rise, fall and rebirth of Ishant are depicted in the following table, with the numbers showing clearly how his performances have ebbed and flowed. Matches Overs Runs Wickets Average E. Rate St. Rate BB - Inns BB - Match Debut - April 2009 18 539 1724 52 33.15 3.20 62.19 5/118 7/117 Nov 2009 - Aug 2010 8 264 1014 21 48.29 3.84 75.43 4/66 5/95 Oct 2010 - Present 7 193.3 665 29 22.93 3.44 40.03 6/55 7/58* The present period has been wonderful for Ishant, as the numbers show. Nor have the numbers been bolstered by cheap wickets. Three of the Tests in the period are against South Africa, while one is against Australia. Even if his 6/55 for this innings is discounted, his average still remains an impressive 26.5. It might still be too early to know if this is a full-fledged renaissance or another false dawn, but the coming months will tell which way Ishant's star is going in a more concrete fashion. The tour to England will be enormously significant, and it is appropriate that the next major tour will be in Australia. At that time, we'll know if Ishant's career has come a full circle and is ready to take off once again from where it had first ignited.

[deepak_sach]

Come On Tremlett///// We want fast and bouncy wickets in England...

[deepak_sach]

Ishant sharma was mislead by Wasim Akram..... He does not want any indian to bowl well and also criticised Ishant and youngsters of being softies... Pheck off Wasim "Fake Injury" Akram.... You better teach trundlers like Tanvir Ahmed and Junaid Khan how to bowl phasssst.....

[J P K]

Crucial to have Zaheer leading the group: Simons t’s been almost 18 months since Eric Simons took over as India’s bowling coach. The South African’s biggest challenge will come when the world’s number one Test side takes on second-ranked England. Bowling coach Eric Simons has quietly gone about his business. APNothing less than a series win is expected, and in a chat with Deccan Herald, Simons analysed the strengths and weaknesses of India’s bowlers. Excerpts: Zaheer has taken a break. Do you think it will be easy for him to come back and bowl straightway in a Test match? The break has been a blessing in disguise. It’s not only a physical break but also a mental and emotional break. He has played a lot of cricket. He went into IPL from the World Cup. It must have been a bit of drain. He is also somebody who understands his body really well. He picks up niggles really early. Does the presence of Zaheer make your job easier? He goes to a young bowler and calms him down when he’s under pressure. It is also helpful for me to sit down and talk to him. We have tried to build a family unit of bowlers. They have to hunt together as a group and to have someone like Zaheer is crucial to lead that group. Are you surprised at how Ishant has taken up the mantle consistently in this series? I remember one of the spells he bowled after I got involved. It was against South Africa at Kolkata when he bowled a really great spell. He was so stressed because he didn’t get any wickets and I told him, you bowled a wonderful spell and let’s focus on what you have done there. I have tried to tell him that it’s not always about the wickets column. I always thought he needs to bowl a little bit wider outside off-stump, and he’s doing that now. How do you see Ishant bowling in English conditions? If he bowls with the control he’s got now, he’ll be a handful. His ability to get bounce from a fuller length is crucial in a place like England. The no-balls are disappearing. He’ll start bowling consistently at 140, 141, 142 and that’s just going to add to his strength. I can’t think why he won’t keep going up in terms of what he contributes in England. How do you deal with a bowler as enormously talented but also temperamental as Sreesanth? It’s a case of what you use for each player. Sree bowled a spell against Australia at Bangalore and I said to him that is one of the best spells of fast bowling I have seen. He was getting a lot of reverse swing. He’s an incredibly talented bowler. What we try and do is to make him understand what his game-plan and try to make him understand when he is the most effective. Sree needs to stay focussed and be patient. How important is Sreesanth’s role in England? Certainly, those are conditions where Sree can do really well. I think back to the delivery he bowled to Jacques Kallis at Durban. There are few who can do that. He’s going to play a crucial role in England. He is a swing bowler and I would like him to bowl a fuller length. I would like to see him make the batsman drive. Praveen’s significance in English conditions with his swing... He’s going to be a massive asset for us. And I don’t think England like that kind of pace and balls that swing both ways. The ball just nibbles away around the off-stump, and they lose their off-stump. Six months ago, we wouldn’t have thought he would be going to England. But it’s all changed. And Munaf’s role in England? He has natural bounce. He has the ability to bowl different lengths. He can be effective; keep a fuller length and do little things with the ball. He will be a handful if conditions suit him. Sometimes Harbhajan gets over-defensive, do you work with him? I like to see the checklists with Harbhajan. I think Harbhajan is bowling a better line. He is hitting the line outside off. He has the ability to read situations and decide when it’s important for him to attack, when it’s important to hold back. I would like him to have the freedom to think and make that decision. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/174964/crucial-have-zaheer-leading-group.html

[Crookbond]

'Sometimes the right tactic is doing what the batsman doesn't want' http://es.pn/r3veAh The year and a half that Eric Simons has been with India as their bowling consultant has been a period of success for the team. For him personally, it's been a period of change. By his own admission, he came to India with what he had learnt and found a way to coach, which worked. What other teams could learn from India is their ability to remain cool while taking decisions, to not panic or get consumed by the hype, Simons said. That allows them to tap their talent, rather than rely on adrenaline, which wears off in a short time. Looking ahead to the England tour, he was confident of India's chances. "It almost doesn't bother me which group we select," he told ESPNcricinfo. "There are so many bowlers bowling well that if someone can't play or the conditions suit somebody in particular, then I don't think that we will be weakening our attack regardless of what combination we go in with, whether it is 3-1 or 2-2 or whatever." Simons looked at six India bowlers in depth - Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh. (Click on the name for Simons' views on that bowler.) Ishant Sharma I remember one of the first spells he bowled after I got involved. It was against South Africa in Kolkata, when he bowled a really great spell but didn't get any wickets. He was stressed, and I told him, "Ishant, you bowled a wonderful spell so let's focus on what you have done there." Like Pragyan Ojha's spell against Australia in Mohali, where he bowled 20 overs for around 28 runs and got no wickets, but played a huge role in India eventually going on to win that game. I have tried to tell the guys it's not always about the wickets column. In South Africa we got Ishant to do a few drills, and when I was catching the ball from him, I saw the seam in different positions and I saw his confidence grow. Wickets may not be coming, but I am seeing good things stacking up. I got really excited with what I saw from him during the IPL. He still wasn't getting wickets, but the channels he was bowling [were good]. I always thought he needed to bowl a little wider outside off stump. He did that during the IPL and he is doing it consistently now. Then his natural ball comes in, hits the off stump and the batsmen don't know where to go. One of the things I tried to enforce with him was to never lose your belief in his ability, and everyone who saw him had to keep telling him that and keep him positive in his thinking in terms of how he sees his ability. In Ishant you're now seeing confidence and technique come together. There are a lot of things you can do [to help a player regain confidence], but it's seldom technical. It's more about getting your mind in a calm space. It's crucial to just get [the bowler] to a place where he is confident, calm and believing in himself. If he bowls with the control he has got now, Ishant can be a real handful in England. He has obviously got the height. His ability to get bounce out of a wicket from a fuller length is crucial. He is getting more confident now that his control is back. The no-balls are disappearing. He's going to start finding the pace that he has. To try and bowl quicker when you haven't got confidence is not going to work. I think now he'll start bowling consistently at 140kph, 141, 142, and that's just going to add to his strength. The only thing is he can drift down leg now and then, but it is a minor issue. A lot of it is to do with angles. If you run up in a particular way and use a particular action, you must try and use that action all the time. If you are bowling over the wicket and bowl with a certain action, and then if you bowl around the wicket and you are landing differently, it makes no sense - you bowl across yourself. Ishant used to run from behind the umpire, but now he runs in from wider. So his action is the same around the wicket as it is from over the wicket. His delivery is coming at the batsman's off stump but his action's the same, and because he naturally has a tendency to move the ball away, it makes it doubly difficult for the batsman. That's the technical change we have made, so he is bowling down the line of his feet rather than across his body. My mantra for this bowling unit has been: the perfect plan you can execute for the batsman is not as good as the perfect plan you can execute for yourself. If Ishant bowls back of a length, we'll pack the square field [in England] instead of making him bowl fuller. Sreesanth Sreesanth is an incredibly talented bowler. We try to make him understand his game plan and when he is most effective. You are not the most effective when you are bowling six different deliveries just because you can. His spell against Australia in Bangalore was one of the best in fast bowling I had seen. He was reversing the ball in and away. There are few in the world who can do that. That's been one of the successes of Praveen Kumar: the patience he has shown in Test cricket. In one-dayers he has got so many variations, but in Tests he has put them away and bowled the way you need to in Test cricket, and reaped some success. That's what Sree needs to do too - to stay focused and be patient. It's been a little frustrating for him with injuries. He's understood the importance of patience. But you also don't want to take [his personality] out of him. That's what makes the man special. He's an artist in so many ways. So it's just trying to keep all those things in place and keep him motivated and focused on the job he can do. He's a very special talent to cricket. He's a flamboyant personality and people love him. And I think the game needs him. Sreesanth can do really well and be effective in English conditions. I think back to the delivery he bowled to Jacques Kallis in Durban. There are few who can do that. And the spell in Mohali. He is a swing bowler, and I would like him to bowl a fuller length and see him make them drive. Praveen Kumar Six months ago we wouldn't have thought Praveen would be going to England. And now, not only is he going to England but going there on the back of what he's already done in Test cricket. He's going to be a massive asset for us. We have stressed to him the importance of patience in Test cricket; the importance of bowling to your field; how a batsman is thinking. If Praveen's going to be nibbling outside the off stump, who's going lose his patience first? I don't think England like that kind of pace or balls that swing both ways. Just nibble away around off, they lose their off stump. In Jamaica he was prepared to bowl only outswing for a full over, for two overs. I think sometimes, what the batsman doesn't want is the right tactic. You need to think like him. In the past Praveen has tried too many things. In Test cricket just having the variation is a strength in itself, because while you keep pitching it and nipping it away, the batsman knows you can also swing it back. How long before you bowl the inswinger? You can bowl one in three overs, and it's all you have to do. I think Praveen can bowl quicker, but we are not talking about it now. I would love every bowler to have that 5kph more pace, but it shouldn't be cause and effect in terms of gaining pace and losing something else. He has got something unique and one needs to respect that. You need to work on his pace slowly. You can't try immediately to make it 145kph. You don't want him to be falling over [at the point of release] because he wants to bowl quicker. Who did Sachin Tendulkar hate facing the most? Hansie Cronje! That's a weapon. If you can nag at that pace, some people hate that. Sometimes it is the variation that keeps you going. Munaf Patel I would have loved to see Munaf bowl more [in the West Indies series]. He is just beginning to feel his way back. He has natural bounce and he is actually a natural athlete. He can be a casual-looking guy, but when he runs in at pace and does something, he is quicker than what most people think. In many ways he was one of the leaders of the attack in West Indies. He is in control of his emotions. He is a mature guy. He says little things to me at times that make me go, "Wow, I hadn't seen that." It could be about a batsman or about one of our bowlers. I have hopefully influenced some guys, and I have learnt a lot from Munaf as well. The way he embarks on a game, the way he thinks about it. I do believe he has a few more yards of pace in him, which we will see. He has the ability to bowl different lengths. He can be effective, keep a fuller length and do little things with the ball. He is going to be a handful if the conditions suit him. I am quite excited to see where he goes from here. The injuries were unfortunate. Hopefully he is over it now and can stake a good Test claim for England. Munaf comes across as a guy who is very grateful with what he has got, with what he has achieved. He is humble to everyone around him. The little things he does tell me he doesn't see himself as a superstar . He doesn't see himself as a World Cup winner and therefore as a bit special. He comes across as a guy who is very grateful with what he has got, with what he has achieved. He works hard, has a great attitude, and it rubs off on the people around him. Zaheer Khan Zaheer is a guy who knows his action very well. His ability to bowl at the same pace from a short run tells you he knows his action, because not many guys can do it. He is a different bowler because of his wrists. He can swing the ball just with his wrists. He also understands his body really well. He picks up on niggles very early. At times something could have grown more serious, but he picked it up early and pulled himself off. He has the ability to fix things. Now even Ishant has started to do that. I used to tell Ishant that his front arm was going over, that he was falling over. Now he is fixing things himself. Zaheer has the ability to fix things in the middle, and not wait for tea or lunch break. His break has been a blessing in disguise. He has played a lot of cricket. He went into the IPL from the World Cup. That must have been difficult. My contribution with Zaheer is that I might look at something differently and give a few suggestions. I have spoken to him about bowling round the stumps to right-handers. It's not really worked for him in terms of the angle he comes in at. He has the ability to knock over Andrew Strauss during a crucial moment in the game against England at the World Cup, and to take crucial wickets in a Test when the ball starts reversing and the match is going nowhere. Also, because of who he is - to go to a young bowler and calm him down when he's under pressure. To say, "I have been there before and this is maybe an idea and a thought." We have tried to build a family unit. It's great for me to see the bowlers build this spirit together. They have to hunt together as a group, and to have someone like Zaheer is crucial to lead that group. Again he's got incredible ability technically, and you learn from people like that. Harbhajan Singh Harbhajan needs to see what the right bowling line is for him. He has the ability to read the situation and decide whether it's important to attack or to hold. Particularly with a four-man attack, it's hard work for seamers. Someone should hold down one end - a seamer or spinner. Sometimes Harbhajan has to do it. I would like him to have the freedom to make that decision. If it means a line outside off will be more attacking, or if it means bowling a straighter line because holding down is important so Zaheer can pick up a wicket from the other end , we trust Harbhajan with making that decision. I think Harbhajan is bowling a better line. He is hitting the line outside off. It's all about encouragement and giving them a sense of belief in the system - the process. I have checklists with Harbhajan. You can see what people do when they are successful and what they are not doing when they are not. When I'm standing and taking balls when Harbhajan or Amit Mishra bowl, and I can sense the seam is in a good position, I stop them and ask, "What did you do there? What was different this time? The ball came out really well this time, we need to do more of this."

[achilles]

I read this in the morning and I was like, "We are in safe hands". Quite an honest and brilliant analysis

[Crookbond]

I read this in the morning and I was like' date=' "We are in safe hands". Quite an honest and brilliant analysis[/quote'] I concur. It really looks he wants to help the bowlers and develop their skills.

[Cricket Tragic]

Looking ahead to the England tour, he was confident of India's chances. "It almost doesn't bother me which group we select," he told ESPNcricinfo.

As long as Zaheer is fit.

[Prakat]

India's bowling stock for England tour, 2011 nice.

[Feed]

India's bowlers will be all ears for Duncan Fletcher's insisghts on the England batsmen More... India's bowlers will be all ears for Duncan Fletcher's insisghts on the England batsmen All your most intimate secrets have been confessed to your lawyer, mistress or priest — and he, or she, reveals them. That is how the England batsmen who were coached by Duncan Fletcher will feel when he arrives this week, as India’s coach, to dissect them. 09 Jul 2011 But that is how it is and how Test cricket should be, especially in the age when coaches swap sides at the drop of a bat. Every facet of a cricketer’s game and personality is tested in the course of a series of proper length. England’s batsmen know that Fletcher knows, and they have to stay one step ahead. Fletcher, moreover, has an able adviser to help him enact his plans for England’s batsmen — and he has always worked through his bowling coach, never bypassing him. Fletcher himself is currently on his first assignment in the West Indies, but Eric Simons was brought in as India’s bowling coach by Gary Kirsten, Fletcher’s predecessor, and he has already strengthened the traditionally weakest area of India’s game: their pace attack. Only a generation ago India would toss the new ball to an opening batsman for a couple of overs, before their three spinners came on. Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook will sigh for such days before this summer is out, for India have as good an opening pair as any in world cricket: Zaheer Khan, the most skilled left-arm pace bowler since Chaminda Vaas retired from Test cricket and a yard quicker, and the right-arm Ishant Sharma, who has been revived and enhanced by Simons. For most of their careers, Strauss and Cook have been able to sit back and help themselves as right-arm pace bowlers have bowled over the wicket — and often dropped short and wide. Not any more. Zaheer will swing the ball both ways on a full length, to lure them forward out of their comport zone, while Sharma has become adept at bowling round the wicket, tutored by Simons in getting close to the stumps, as he revealed last week after reaching 100 Test wickets, at the age of 22. Fletcher was acting as an adviser to South Africa the last time England toured there. Kevin Pietersen’s series became ever less fruitful: in his last four innings the fast bowlers got him before he reached 20. The early bouncer to drive Pietersen back, then the pitch-up ball, did the trick. If this line of attack does not suffice, there is always Yuvraj Singh and his left-arm ‘spin’. It was India’s captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, with his mischievous humour, who set the ‘KP can’t play left armers’ ball rolling. He brought on Yuvraj the moment Pietersen came out to bat in the Chennai Test of December 2009: Pietersen lbw b Yuvraj 1. Matt Prior did not make his Test debut until after Fletcher’s departure, but he began in England’s one-day team in 2004. And, like Pietersen, South Africa’s bowlers had the measure of him by the end of that series. The early bouncer, in itself, was often enough, before the exploration of any gap between Prior’s bat and pad as he looked to hit through the off side. Jonathan Trott and Eoin Morgan did not play under Fletcher but they can rest assured that, somewhere, a silver-haired 62 year-old has been watching their dismissals on television. Trott, in the Southampton Test, ‘nicked off’ when the right-handed Suranga Lakmal went round the wicket and angled across him, to negate Trott’s bottom-handed strength through midwicket. Morgan’s defence will be tested by the same full length and angle as Strauss and Cook. To supplement India’s opening pair, the likely third seamer is Munaf Patel, a gifted swing bowler of low self-esteem — until Simons pumped up his tyres. Or, given England’s historic weakness against leg spin, Amit Mishra might be slipped in for a Test or two. Either way, England will be facing the best Test team, one that will be fully briefed, as it should be. Fletcher's secret knowledge Andrew Strauss: he likes to pull and cut and dislikes being drawn forward. Zaheer Khan to bowl from over the wicket, and Ishant Sharma from round the wicket Alaistair Cook: prefers to wait on the crease, to cut and work through midwicket. Has to be drawn forward — Zaheer from over the wicket and Ishant round. Kevin Pietersen: leaves a gap between bat and pad. A bouncer to stop him plunging forward, then a ball angled in. Or try Yuvraj Singh’s left-arm spin Ian Bell: no hole in his technique but maybe in his temperament. Has been known to lose patience, open the bat’s face and nick a catch behind Matt Prior: even more of a gap between bat and pad than Pietersen. So Zaheer to bowl from round the wicket or Ishant from over

[asterix]

India's bowling coach happy with bowlers

The year and a half that Eric Simons has been with India as their bowling consultant has been a period of success for the team. For him personally, it's been a period of change. By his own admission, he came to India with what he had learnt and found a way to coach, which worked. What other teams could learn from India is their ability to remain cool while taking decisions, to not panic or get consumed by the hype, Simons said. That allows them to tap their talent, rather than rely on adrenaline, which wears off in a short time. Looking ahead to the England tour, he was confident of India's chances. "It almost doesn't bother me which group we select," he told ESPNcricinfo. "There are so many bowlers bowling well that if someone can't play or the conditions suit somebody in particular, then I don't think that we will be weakening our attack regardless of what combination we go in with, whether it is 3-1 or 2-2 or whatever." Ishant Sharma I remember one of the first spells he bowled after I got involved. It was against South Africa in Kolkata, when he bowled a really great spell but didn't get any wickets. He was stressed, and I told him, "Ishant, you bowled a wonderful spell so let's focus on what you have done there." Like Pragyan Ojha's spell against Australia in Mohali, where he bowled 20 overs for around 28 runs and got no wickets, but played a huge role in India eventually going on to win that game. I have tried to tell the guys it's not always about the wickets column. In South Africa we got Ishant to do a few drills, and when I was catching the ball from him, I saw the seam in different positions and I saw his confidence grow. Wickets may not be coming, but I am seeing good things stacking up. I got really excited with what I saw from him during the IPL. He still wasn't getting wickets, but the channels he was bowling (were good). I always thought he needed to bowl a little wider outside off stump. He did that during the IPL and he is doing it consistently now. Then his natural ball comes in, hits the off stump and the batsmen don't know where to go. One of the things I tried to enforce with him was to never lose your belief in his ability, and everyone who saw him had to keep telling him that and keep him positive in his thinking in terms of how he sees his ability. In Ishant you're now seeing confidence and technique come together. There are a lot of things you can do (to help a player regain confidence), but it's seldom technical. It's more about getting your mind in a calm space. It's crucial to just get (the bowler) to a place where he is confident, calm and believing in himself. If he bowls with the control he has got now, Ishant can be a real handful in England. He has obviously got the height. His ability to get bounce out of a wicket from a fuller length is crucial. He is getting more confident now that his control is back. The no-balls are disappearing. He's going to start finding the pace that he has. To try and bowl quicker when you haven't got confidence is not going to work. I think now he'll start bowling consistently at 140kph, 141, 142, and that's just going to add to his strength. The only thing is he can drift down leg now and then, but it is a minor issue. A lot of it is to do with angles. If you run up in a particular way and use a particular action, you must try and use that action all the time. If you are bowling over the wicket and bowl with a certain action, and then if you bowl around the wicket and you are landing differently, it makes no sense - you bowl across yourself. Ishant used to run from behind the umpire, but now he runs in from wider. So his action is the same around the wicket as it is from over the wicket. His delivery is coming at the batsman's off stump but his action's the same, and because he naturally has a tendency to move the ball away, it makes it doubly difficult for the batsman. That's the technical change we have made, so he is bowling down the line of his feet rather than across his body. My mantra for this bowling unit has been: the perfect plan you can execute for the batsman is not as good as the perfect plan you can execute for yourself. If Ishant bowls back of a length, we'll pack the square field (in England) instead of making him bowl fuller. Sreesanth Sreesanth is an incredibly talented bowler. We try to make him understand his game plan and when he is most effective. You are not the most effective when you are bowling six different deliveries just because you can. His spell against Australia in Bangalore was one of the best in fast bowling I had seen. He was reversing the ball in and away. There are few in the world who can do that. That's been one of the successes of Praveen Kumar: the patience he has shown in Test cricket. In one-dayers he has got so many variations, but in Tests he has put them away and bowled the way you need to in Test cricket, and reaped some success. That's what Sree needs to do too - to stay focused and be patient. It's been a little frustrating for him with injuries. He's understood the importance of patience. But you also don't want to take (his personality) out of him. That's what makes the man special. He's an artist in so many ways. So it's just trying to keep all those things in place and keep him motivated and focused on the job he can do. He's a very special talent to cricket. He's a flamboyant personality and people love him. And I think the game needs him. Sreesanth can do really well and be effective in English conditions. I think back to the delivery he bowled to Jacques Kallis in Durban. There are few who can do that. And the spell in Mohali. He is a swing bowler, and I would like him to bowl a fuller length and see him make them drive. Praveen Kumar Six months ago we wouldn't have thought Praveen would be going to England. And now, not only is he going to England but going there on the back of what he's already done in Test cricket. He's going to be a massive asset for us. We have stressed to him the importance of patience in Test cricket; the importance of bowling to your field; how a batsman is thinking. If Praveen's going to be nibbling outside the off stump, who's going lose his patience first? I don't think England like that kind of pace or balls that swing both ways. Just nibble away around off, they lose their off stump. In Jamaica he was prepared to bowl only outswing for a full over, for two overs. I think sometimes, what the batsman doesn't want is the right tactic. You need to think like him. In the past Praveen has tried too many things. In Test cricket just having the variation is a strength in itself, because while you keep pitching it and nipping it away, the batsman knows you can also swing it back. How long before you bowl the inswinger? You can bowl one in three overs, and it's all you have to do. I think Praveen can bowl quicker, but we are not talking about it now. I would love every bowler to have that 5kph more pace, but it shouldn't be cause and effect in terms of gaining pace and losing something else. He has got something unique and one needs to respect that. You need to work on his pace slowly. You can't try immediately to make it 145kph. You don't want him to be falling over (at the point of release) because he wants to bowl quicker. Who did Sachin Tendulkar hate facing the most? Hansie Cronje! That's a weapon. If you can nag at that pace, some people hate that. Sometimes it is the variation that keeps you going. Munaf Patel I would have loved to see Munaf bowl more (in the West Indies series). He is just beginning to feel his way back. He has natural bounce and he is actually a natural athlete. He can be a casual-looking guy, but when he runs in at pace and does something, he is quicker than what most people think. In many ways he was one of the leaders of the attack in West Indies. He is in control of his emotions. He is a mature guy. He says little things to me at times that make me go, "Wow, I hadn't seen that." It could be about a batsman or about one of our bowlers. I have hopefully influenced some guys, and I have learnt a lot from Munaf as well. The way he embarks on a game, the way he thinks about it. I do believe he has a few more yards of pace in him, which we will see. He has the ability to bowl different lengths. He can be effective, keep a fuller length and do little things with the ball. He is going to be a handful if the conditions suit him. I am quite excited to see where he goes from here. The injuries were unfortunate. Hopefully he is over it now and can stake a good Test claim for England. Munaf comes across as a guy who is very grateful with what he has got, with what he has achieved. He is humble to everyone around him. The little things he does tell me he doesn't see himself as a superstar . He doesn't see himself as a World Cup winner and therefore as a bit special. He comes across as a guy who is very grateful with what he has got, with what he has achieved. He works hard, has a great attitude, and it rubs off on the people around him. Zaheer Khan Zaheer is a guy who knows his action very well. His ability to bowl at the same pace from a short run tells you he knows his action, because not many guys can do it. He is a different bowler because of his wrists. He can swing the ball just with his wrists. He also understands his body really well. He picks up on niggles very early. At times something could have grown more serious, but he picked it up early and pulled himself off. He has the ability to fix things. Now even Ishant has started to do that. I used to tell Ishant that his front arm was going over, that he was falling over. Now he is fixing things himself. Zaheer has the ability to fix things in the middle, and not wait for tea or lunch break. His break has been a blessing in disguise. He has played a lot of cricket. He went into the IPL from the World Cup. That must have been difficult. My contribution with Zaheer is that I might look at something differently and give a few suggestions. I have spoken to him about bowling round the stumps to right-handers. It's not really worked for him in terms of the angle he comes in at. He has the ability to knock over Andrew Strauss during a crucial moment in the game against England at the World Cup, and to take crucial wickets in a Test when the ball starts reversing and the match is going nowhere. Also, because of who he is - to go to a young bowler and calm him down when he's under pressure. To say, "I have been there before and this is maybe an idea and a thought." We have tried to build a family unit. It's great for me to see the bowlers build this spirit together. They have to hunt together as a group, and to have someone like Zaheer is crucial to lead that group. Again he's got incredible ability technically, and you learn from people like that. Harbhajan Singh Harbhajan needs to see what the right bowling line is for him. He has the ability to read the situation and decide whether it's important to attack or to hold. Particularly with a four-man attack, it's hard work for seamers. Someone should hold down one end - a seamer or spinner. Sometimes Harbhajan has to do it. I would like him to have the freedom to make that decision. If it means a line outside off will be more attacking, or if it means bowling a straighter line because holding down is important so Zaheer can pick up a wicket from the other end , we trust Harbhajan with making that decision. I think Harbhajan is bowling a better line. He is hitting the line outside off. It's all about encouragement and giving them a sense of belief in the system - the process. I have checklists with Harbhajan. You can see what people do when they are successful and what they are not doing when they are not. When I'm standing and taking balls when Harbhajan or Amit Mishra bowl, and I can sense the seam is in a good position, I stop them and ask, "What did you do there? What was different this time? The ball came out really well this time, we need to do more of this." http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/features/interviews/item/175704-eric-simons-evaluates-indian-bowlers

:yay: We Iz Da Bowling Pawarhauz!! :yay:

[asterix]

not so soon .we were unable to mop up the west indies tail yesterday.

:(( That's because of the 2 novice openers in the team.. Nothing to do with the bowlers..

[The Outsider]

Harbhajan needs to see what the right bowling line is for him.

Basically, saying he has given up on the 'emotional leader' who does as he deems fit.

[asterix]

Basically' date=' saying he has given up on the 'emotional leader' who does as he deems fit.[/quote'] Well basically they've left it on the "senior bowler" to decide himself whether he's going to attack or "hold down" one end..More often it's the 'holding down' he's been doing and he can't be bothered or asked.. Yeah! Basically given up..

[Sid]

I think Harbhajan is bowling a better line. He is hitting the line outside off

Which match is he talking about :phehehe: