First priority: second string

Anyone wanting to become a fast bowler in India should first consult a clinical psychologist and spend a month in the nets pounding away. It is easy to sympathise with such a jovial, big-hearted character as the 34-year-old Srinath for unlike De Villiers, the Karnataka fast-medium bowler had no quality team in seam and fast bowling support.

Little wonder, when asked in Colombo in 2001 about fast bowling in India, the Mysore-born Srinath just shook his head, amused at the query. 8216;8216;It is tough 8212; not easy at all, just hard work to get to the top and remaining fit to stay there. I8217;m lucky I have been around for as long as I have; others just fall away and you feel sorry for them8217;8217;, he said after his hand had been injured by a sharply lifting ball from Dilhara Fernando at Galle.

Then again, Indian officialdom has not aided their cause. As long ago as 1969, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, former India captain, complained about the lack of what he referred to as 8216;8216;lively surfaces8217;8217;. As he suggested at the time, though, it would be ignored. 8216;8216;If we India want to become a world power, we need to produce lively surfaces otherwise we are going to struggle when we tour countries like Australia, New Zealand and even West Indies and UK.8217;8217;

He hasn8217;t been the only one to criticise how the pitches in India have held up the game8217;s progress. Of course India are encouraged by the rise of such as the young tearaway Munaf Patel; yet anyone glancing at the current Australian side would start to wonder about the support system.

Glenn McGrath is moving towards retirement and injured, Brett Lee is injured as is Jason Gillespie. Such injuries and absences of this type of quality would cripple most teams. Not the Australians. Their second string is good enough to wipe out both New Zealand and India in the TVS Series.

The West Indies, meanwhile, almost lost the first Test to Zimbabwe in Harare because their bowling attack is about the poorest to pull on a West Indies jersey in 50 years. Their support crew is just not good enough and, whatever easy pushover he thought Zimbabwe might be, Brian Lara was given a swift jolt in the ribs.

It hurt. It could be said that Zimbabwe, a little like Sri Lanka, may have only two bowlers, but they are competitive. It was as though the toughening up experience learnt on the tough rockface of an Australian tour has helped Zimbabwe overcome the loss of the Flower brothers and other top players.

New Zealand8217;s bowling is at times as much a soft touch as their top order this TVS series. More8217;s the pity. But they were more competitive in Sri Lanka earlier this year with Shane Bond firing off bazooka shots that had the opposition ducking. With Chris Cairns no longer a factor and Daryl Tuffey blowing hot and cold, the Kiwi attack is very much a bits and pieces effort: good triers but lacking in substance.

As for England8230;Well, no one can confidently predict what sort of attack England are going to turn out. It has been restructured five times in the last 12 months and that doesn8217;t help their cause at all. They are still trying to pull the odd rabbit out of the hat for a winning combination.

But it is the old story with current England, they rely on the opposition to get themselves out. So, where do Australia get such quality talent as a support group when the big boys are resting niggling injuries? Hard work and competitiveness. There is someone just as good to step in should one of the selected fail. India might do well to examine the options more carefully.