CHENNAI: As India looks to usher in a new generation of fast bowlers, Australia great Glenn McGrath believes Prasidh Krishna has all the ingredients to become a new generation of fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrahlong-term partner. The legendary fast bowler, who is the coaching director of MRF Pace Foundation, has been closely following Prasidh’s rise and feels that the tall Karnataka seamer has converted his potential into performances. “I’m a big fan of Placid,” McGrath said. “If he’s the right length, everything will go well for him.” “He’s really mature. He’s tall, has a good pitch area, has good bounce and has good speed. He’s a little short occasionally, but other than that, I think he’s the complete package.” He’s really developed and brought his potential into performance,” he said. India has given opportunities to several young snappers during the recent tours of England and Zimbabwe as they prepare for a tough campaign of white-ball cricket, with the ODI and T20 World Cups to be played in South Africa and Australia-New Zealand respectively. This means India will need to go all out to mount a potent attack and McGrath believes the transitional phase they are going through will not be easy. “You have banglawho is the class bowler, and Mohammad Shamihe is also world class. Mohammed Siraj has also been around for a long time. You can’t expect to pick up where you left off. It’s always a transition period,” he said, referring to the Australian team, who will be going through a similar phase. “outside Pat CumminsJosh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starkalmost no one has a chance…so it won’t be easy for Australia either. “ McGrath also noted that Bumrah’s unconventional operations required careful workload management. “His power in those last few steps probably puts more stress on his body than most bowlers. It will be interesting to see how he manages himself,” McGrath said. While India appear keen to develop their young bowlers quickly, McGrath insists the experienced pacers can still play an important role. “It’s always good to gain experience there. Young bowlers learn by playing against older players. I was lucky enough to watch Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes perform. That’s where you really learn. I would always choose an experienced team over a team with potential,” he said. Regarding whether veterans Shami or Bhuvneshwar Kumar McGrath said the team could still make a comeback and the decision would depend on their fitness, motivation and selectors. “If they are ready to put in the work and their bodies allow it, then why not? As fast bowlers get older, the job will only get tougher. Ultimately, it’s up to them and the selectors. “ McGrath also called for a rethink in the way fast bowlers are rehabilitated from injuries, arguing that the modern system too often “wraps bowlers with batting” rather than making them physically stronger.
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“The best way is to get stronger. Even if you are injured, you should continue to work on the parts of your body that you can train. We should not protect the bowlers but make them indestructible,” he said.
