BCCI clears mystery on Sunil Narine

“The bowling review committee of the BCCI, comprising S Venkatraghavan, Javagal Srinath and AV Jayaprakash examined the bowling action of Sunil Narine after he had undergone a biomechanical assessment at the ICC-accredited SRMC (Sri Ramachandra University) centre, Chennai,” began a cricket board press statement.

“The committee concluded that Sunil Narine, who had remodelled his bowling action, was within the ICC approved limits for all types of deliveries that were assessed and has hence recommended to the BCCI, that his name may be removed from the warning list of bowlers with suspect action. As a result, Sunil Narine is now allowed to bowl in all BCCI tournaments,” the statement added.

Narine was reported for suspect action ahead of the Champions League T20 final last year and was banned from bowling in all BCCI-organised tournaments until he was cleared. The spinner subsequently underwent tests at an ICC-accredited centre in Loughborough and got a clearance certificate. Why then did the BCCI insist on a retest, something the KKR management were forced to reluctantly accept?

“We didn’t doubt the Loughborough centre report but because he was barred from bowling in BCCI tournaments, we wanted him to go through our own process. We wanted to make sure every angle was covered,” a BCCI insider explained.

READ: Sunil Narine report likely to come out today

All angles examined

A source from SRMC confirmed that they indeed covered all angles. “From conventional off-break to faster one and doosra, every aspect of his bowling was checked. In the end, all was well,” he said.

Uncertainty over Narine had put his franchise in a serious spot of bother. From signing up little-known KC Cariappa for Rs 2.4 crore to bringing in 44-year-old Aussie chinaman bowler Brad Hogg and replacing a specialist batsman like Chris Lynn with veteran South African offie Johan Botha — the defending champions had been vehemently searching the right spin-bowling combination. Finding back-ups for Narine was like replacing the irreplaceable and the KKR management looked jittery. The 27-year-old has established himself as the cornerstone to team’s success. His 21 wickets in 16 matches at an economy rate of 6.35 took Kolkata to IPL glory last year. Narine is a T20 specialist and he has always lived up to the billing.

KKR CEO Venky Mysore was candid enough to admit the Narine-factor. “We are happy and relieved. We are extremely thankful to the BCCI – the way they cooperated in the whole process. Of course this is a big boost for KKR, because he has been a big IPL player and key to our success. But more than that, this is great news for Narine. He’s an international player and the decision will help him revive his career. The fans will be happy, for he’s a big fan-favourite,” Mysore told The Indian Express.

Can he, though, retain his mojo following what has surely been a difficult and nervy time for him? Recent performances prove he just might. Narine returned with 6/9 in eight overs as Trinidad & Tobago decimated Guyana in the Nagico Super50 (a West Indies domestic limited-overs tournament) final. But that was in January and he has played very little cricket since, withdrawing himself from the World Cup.

READ: Awaiting BCCI clearance, Sunil Narine skips practice 

A stiff challenge ahead

And the IPL is a high-profile event and the matches will be officiated by international umpires. The clearance doesn’t make Narine immune to future actions. Match officials will of course be asked to keep a close watch on his bowling.

Chucking episodes are hard to wash your hands off, as Pragyan Ojha proved after returning from an action correction centre earlier this year. India’s main left-arm spinner in Test cricket from a couple of years ago was a shadow of himself during the Irani Trophy match last month, as he struggled with his rhythm and couldn’t really find his groove as figures of 2/35 and 2/100 suggest.

In a few days we will know how Saeed Ajmal copes with a remodelled action when Pakistan tour Bangladesh. Narine’s test comes sooner and he faces a stiff challenge. His team-mates, though, believe he will come through just fine.

“He has had been hugely important for us and we are very happy for him. He’s raring to go,” said Sakib Al Hasan.