For pace, Indians need to look at diet: Holding

[speed_demon]

Holding Michael Holding is sure that Indian team won't do well in Test cricket consistently if they don't have good fast bowlers. (AFP Photo) LONDON: West Indian pace legend Michael Holding is sure that Indian team won't do well in Test cricket consistently if they don't have good fast bowlers. "Champion teams have always had good fast bowlers. You can't win Test matches or remain on top without real pacers. If you look at history, you will find that the top teams of different era had top fast bowlers," Holding told TOI during the India-England fourth one-dayer at Lord's. "The Indian team did well in Test matches in the recent past because they had a quality bowler in Zaheer Khan. He is missing and so the team is struggling. You have to generate some pace to make it count. Otherwise you can't dominate world cricket like the way the West Indies and the Australian teams did in the past," he added. What does he think has gone wrong with the Indian pacers? "When they join the team, they come with a lot of reputation. But by the time they have played two to three years of international cricket, they lose the appetite to bowl fast. Munaf Patel is the prime example. When he burst on the scene, he was a tearaway fast bowler but after a few years, he lost his pace and is currently know for his good line and length. "When I saw Ishant Sharma in Australia in his debut series, I was very excited with the way he bowled there. But after two years, he is not the same bowler. He has lost a bit of pace. I was surprised but I have understood what is happening with the Indian bowlers. They are unable to take care of their diet and that affects their body in the long run," Holding said. "There is nothing wrong with their technique. If you don't take care of what you are eating, then you are bound to lose your strength." Holding praised Parveen Kumar and Ishant for their bowling in the Tests against England. "In absence of Zaheer, they had too much on their shoulders," he said. Holding, however, asserted: "If Pakistan can produce fast bowlers, why can't India?" Before he signed off, Holding took a dig at Indian cricketers. "Injuries to some of the key players were a big blow to the Indian team. But how come they never miss the IPL with injuries?"

[speed_demon]

This is a long old debate, what do the indians eat???? Is there something in their diet plan not working for them to generate pace?? Maybe more meat is required??

[Stuge]

kya kayee phir :O..head of people like holding .

[Prakat]

Carb-loading FTW! B->

[achilles]

Thanks Michael. But we like to simply state our weakness in post-match conferences. We don't do anything about it and actually play a player who has been sent over from India and has been cooling his heels since he's landed in England.

[Lurker]

Michael Holding is not going to make changes to Indian diet, nobody can. But the bigger issue is how typically Indians have reacted to such suggestions: a) Is it any surprise to say a champion team needs great fast bowlers? This is a no-brainer but rather idiotically Indian fans, some of them, have always been dismissive about it. When India reached world 1 rank all was forgotten and suggestions by critics, like Ian Chappell, was widely laughed at. Well now the issue comes full circle. b) Yes Indian sportsmen need a diet change. They should start eating like a world class sportsmen, and training like them too. It sucks to see a Chris Tremlett and Mitchell Johnson standing next to a RP Singh. All things considered who would be a better bowler? c) As a nation of cricket fans shouldnt we know our cricket better? When Zaheer was the cricket who was perhaps more important than anyone else for our success, why do we always go gaga over SRT scoring century in an irrelevant game or Dravid scoring 3 centuries in a collosal loss? xx

[TheYuvi02]

Michael Holding is not going to make changes to Indian diet, nobody can. But the bigger issue is how typically Indians have reacted to such suggestions: a) Is it any surprise to say a champion team needs great fast bowlers? This is a no-brainer but rather idiotically Indian fans, some of them, have always been dismissive about it. When India reached world 1 rank all was forgotten and suggestions by critics, like Ian Chappell, was widely laughed at. Well now the issue comes full circle. b) Yes Indian sportsmen need a diet change. They should start eating like a world class sportsmen, and training like them too. It sucks to see a Chris Tremlett and Mitchell Johnson standing next to a RP Singh. All things considered who would be a better bowler? c) As a nation of cricket fans shouldnt we know our cricket better? When Zaheer was the cricket who was perhaps more important than anyone else for our success, why do we always go gaga over SRT scoring century in an irrelevant game or Dravid scoring 3 centuries in a collosal loss? xx

Mj is not the best of bowlers but come on comparing to RP singh is too harsh :giggle:

[Jersey #10]

Yuvraj: chadd yaar, give me some lassi...malai marke

[Misu243]

Pakiyon will have afield day with this one...once they even announced that you "must eat beef to win the world cup" hahahahhahahaha LOSERSSSSSSSSSSSSS :haha::haha:

[TheYuvi02]

I think its not just diet.. most Indians these days aren't vegetarians and most people I know eat chicken,beef and everything else. There is more to it than just diet

[Lurker]

I think its not just diet.. most Indians these days aren't vegetarians and most people I know eat chicken' date=beef and everything else. There is more to it than just diet

Diet doesnt include only meat as you are perhaps suggesting. It means eating the right combo of carbs, proteins and fats. No point in having chicken in your meal if you are gonna gulp it down with 2 full plate of rice. Also eating chicken once a week is not the same as having atleast one of chicken, fish, egg wth each meal

[Blue Panther]

There is a reason why i ask my juniors to eat meat beef. Beef is a rich resource for testosterone. I have discussed these things already, i am a kashmiri pundit but i dont care much when it comes to my health. I eat beef, oyesters, sea food every day and workout in gym and in my local cricket ground with my juniors every day. This has made me really healthy and popular with boys and girls in my office. I suggest u guys do the same. Eat beef, or oyesters everyday.

[rahulrulezz]

Cut this beef crap... effin pisses me off when I see fellow Indians use this lahori logic of 'beef is the strongest'... as Lurker said if one eats balanced diet (even vegeterian), you can be bloody strong in everythin... biggest reason we dont have fast bowlers is the mentatlity of Indians towards pace bowling.. This season I played for a new club, I am not only the the opening batsman but also opening pace bowler as well.. and my effin captain(typical Indian) before even I start my over shouts loudly 'Rahul don't concentrate on pace, u might bowl wides)..everytime he says this in front of opposition batsman, I feel like punchin him and try to bowl even faster... even though I have taken higest amount of wickets (19 in 8 matches) with best economy, still that bugger insults me even if I bowl even one wide....and the Pakistani teams I have played against, their captains have always came upto me at the end of match and appreciated my pace...its just a Indian thing, we just dont appreciate pure pace

[TheYuvi02]

There is a reason why i ask my juniors to eat meat beef. Beef is a rich resource for testosterone. I have discussed these things already, i am a kashmiri pundit but i dont care much when it comes to my health. I eat beef, oyesters, sea food every day and workout in gym and in my local cricket ground with my juniors every day. This has made me really healthy and popular with boys and girls in my office. I suggest u guys do the same. Eat beef, or oyesters everyday.

Don't eat too much beef though, I have some relatives who eat beef every day and they have high cholesterol high blood pressure and not to mention they are very fat :giggle:

[zep1706]

^^ eating beef & oyesters makes u popular

:hysterical::hysterical:

[TheYuvi02]

Cut this beef crap... effin pisses me off when I see fellow Indians use this lahori logic of 'beef is the strongest'... as Lurker said if one eats balanced diet (even vegeterian), you can be bloody strong in everythin... biggest reason we dont have fast bowlers is the mentatlity of Indians towards pace bowling.. This season I played for a new club, I am not only the the opening batsman but also opening pace bowler as well.. and my effin captain(typical Indian) before even I start my over shouts loudly 'Rahul don't concentrate on pace, u might bowl wides)..everytime he says this in front of opposition batsman, I feel like punchin him and try to bowl even faster... even though I have taken higest amount of wickets (19 in 8 matches) with best economy, still that bugger insults me even if I bowl even one wide....and the Pakistani teams I have played against, their captains have always came upto me at the end of match and appreciated my pace...its just a Indian thing, we just dont appreciate pure pace

all my indian friends prefer watching brett lee/steyn over indian trundlers, i have yet to find anyone who prefer indian medium pacers to fast bowlers

[TheYuvi02]

Cut this beef crap... effin pisses me off when I see fellow Indians use this lahori logic of 'beef is the strongest'... as Lurker said if one eats balanced diet (even vegeterian), you can be bloody strong in everythin... biggest reason we dont have fast bowlers is the mentatlity of Indians towards pace bowling.. This season I played for a new club, I am not only the the opening batsman but also opening pace bowler as well.. and my effin captain(typical Indian) before even I start my over shouts loudly 'Rahul don't concentrate on pace, u might bowl wides)..everytime he says this in front of opposition batsman, I feel like punchin him and try to bowl even faster... even though I have taken higest amount of wickets (19 in 8 matches) with best economy, still that bugger insults me even if I bowl even one wide....and the Pakistani teams I have played against, their captains have always came upto me at the end of match and appreciated my pace...its just a Indian thing, we just dont appreciate pure pace

you can but again we had many vegetarian medium pacers like prasad who can never bowl fast.. beef is good but it's not as must for bowling fast i agree.. but it does help to have beef in your diet

[Prakat]

Diet doesnt include only meat as you are perhaps suggesting. It means eating the right combo of carbs, proteins and fats. No point in having chicken in your meal if you are gonna gulp it down with 2 full plate of rice. Also eating chicken once a week is not the same as having atleast one of chicken, fish, egg wth each meal

This. Protein is under-valued as part of a healthy, balanced diet mostly due to the prevailing food culture that hasn't changed even though urban lifestyles have altered our requirements considerably. The Indian diet is essentially a peasant diet. Every meal is a means of recharging the body with instant energy through carbs from rice and wheat so that it will power the hard, physical labour to be done right after.

[jonas10]

Problem with Indians in general: 1. Not into fitness training the way Auzzies English etc are. This is most obviously reflected in the fielding. 2. Diet - yes this is key - just look at Indian origin people in Canada UK etc they are way bigger cause of a western diet. Better quality food, supplements more readily available etc are available in Western countries. 3. Why is it that they are never injured for IPL or healed JUST IN TIME for champions league?

[TheYuvi02]

Problem with Indians in general: 1. Not into fitness training the way Auzzies English etc are. This is most obviously reflected in the fielding. 2. Diet - yes this is key - just look at Indian origin people in Canada UK etc they are way bigger cause of a western diet. Better quality food, supplements more readily available etc are available in Western countries. 3. Why is it that they are never injured for IPL or healed JUST IN TIME for champions league?

If I was getting paid a million dollars for little amount of work i would be training hard to play in it as well, or play with injury.