A one-man pace academy

Pont says his decision to shift base to Haryana was mainly due to secretary Anirudh Chaudhary,who requested him to help develop pace bowlers in Haryana after his Bangladesh contract ended after the World Cup. Although he doesn’t have to spend all his time with his new team,the four-year contract includes regular visits — divided into two week stints — in and around the state to develop the art of fast bowling. So soon after joining the Haryana side,Pont’s first task was to hold a camp at the Corbett National Park in May. Apart from working with the first-class players,the 61-year old also got a hang of the health of the general level of the game by working with age group players that contained both boys and girls.

“I’ve noticed that many coaches teach their bowlers to bowl line and length and eventually ask their wards to cut down on their speed as a result. My role is to teach speed,” says Pont,who has been credited by bowlers like Dale Steyn and Shoaib Akhtar on helping them boost their pace. The Englishman believes that it is not impossible to be accurate and still bowl at a terrific speed. “If you want to be accurate,you want to move in a straight line. And a straight line is also the quickest way to get between two points,” he says.

Beyond that,according to the coach,it is a matter of how much elasticity the body develops. “Much like the bow string of a bow,it is pretty much about how much your body can stretch and compress quickly,” says Pont. “But I haven’t been with these guys for very long so I don’t want to get too technical. What is crucial is that they are now confident enough to keep their control and also bowl faster. They know it is possible,” he adds.

First impressions

But has he been genuinely impressed with any of the fast bowler that he has come across? “Let me put it this way,I’ve been impressed by a few. But for a country of a billion people,surely India would have six bowlers capable of bowling over 150kmph. I’ve seen one in Varun Aaron. A fast bowler is made through both natural talent as well as constant inputs of skill. I can help in developing only the latter,” he adds with a smile.

So could it be genetics that has played its role in depriving India of a world class tearaway? “Bangladeshis aren’t blessed with size either. But Rubel Hossain was timed at 149 kmph in the World Cup. The speed of the ball depends on how quickly your shoulder rotates. Being tall helps but it is not the only prerequisite. You cannot tell players that they can never bowl fast,” says Pont.

However,Pont isn’t a one trick pony. According to Amit Mishra,the Haryana skipper,the bowling coach has also provided a couple of tips when the India leg-spinner himself asked for advice. “Not only is he giving inputs to the bowlers,he is also constantly motivating them. Pont has had a positive impact on the team since the day he joined,” says Mishra.

On this visit,Pont will be with the team until the end of the Delhi match,and will return to the Haryana camp for his next stint only in February next year. While he says he would have preferred to stay during the course of the first-class season,he says he is more eager to work with some of the players he spotted and handpicked from his Corbett experience. And that will have to wait until next year. “There are a few young guys I met in the camp who I am really excited about,” he says,indicating it could be the beginning of a new era of fast bowling in the state.