Former fast bowler Aaqib Javed, who is also assistant coach of the national team, has advised the fast bowlers of the fast-track training camp to rely more on normal swing rather than going for the reverse swing in wake of the rule changes.
Talking to journalists here at the National Cricket Academy on the sidelines of the camp training, Aaqib said that the bowlers’ focus should be the conventional swing in wake of rapid rules changes that have made the reverse swing difficult to bowl.
The changes like the use of powerplays between the 16th and 40th overs and new balls from either bowling end would made it difficult for the bowlers to work on the ball to make is reverse swing worthy.
“I believe that bowlers will now have to concentrate on normal bowling and usual swing. I think the overall advantage goes to new-ball bowlers as the ball would remain in a rather newer shape till the final session of overs because the wickets around the world change the shape of the ball after 40 overs and the new rule to have new ball after 36 overs would only help the new-ball bowler,” he maintained.
He further stated that the camp training has helped them a lot in improving the players particularly the bowlers’ mistakes. “We see a number of bowlers take several wickets but by working with them we realsied how much flawed their action or bowling style is and the purpose of the camp was to make those bowlers ready for longer international stint,” he added.
“There are various bowlers in our domestic circuit, who are taking wickets in one odd season. We have invited all those performers and are trying to understand the difference among them. We are looking for attitude, fitness and discipline and we realised that some of them aren’t the international material at all,” he added.
“In the past we had Wasim Akram but now we have Sarfraz Nawaz to work with the fresh lot of bowlers. We shared our experiences and knowledge about bowling with this young lot so that the new comers could learn the basics and fresh ideas about bowling in different conditions,” he said.
Aaqib also dispelled the impression that a big void has been created with the retirement of Shoaib Akhtar. “We still have a line up of fast bowlers waiting like Mohamamd Talha, Sohail Khan, Aizaz Cheema. They are being looked after and are being groomed further and we have noticed in the camp that they all bowl over 140 kmph. We are not lacking in the bowling department. All we are doing is to line up a chain of at least two fast bowlers for the national requirements,” he further said.
He said the identified bowlers were being made technically fit to. “I believe before pushing them to the international arena, they should be given ample seasons at the domestic circuit,” he concluded.
