Flickering taillights, reverse gear

Mid-noon at the National Stadium, New Delhi in February. The Indian team is undergoing a training session on eve of the final Test against t...

Mid-noon at the National Stadium, New Delhi in February. The Indian team is undergoing a training session on eve of the final Test against the visiting Zimbabweans. The frontline batsmen are through with their mandatory knocks and the frontline bowlers have bowled their quota of deliveries. Now it8217;s time for the bowlers to bat. Enter a group of eager National Stadium trainees; Zaheer, Srinath, Sarandeep, Harbhajan and Kumble flog the hapless rookies as the motley crowd watching runs for cover.

Cue to the series currently under way. Even the West Indian bowling is miles better than that at the nets; suddenly, the Indian tail has turned between its legs. In the third Test at Barbados Saurav Ganguly is stranded twice, left adrift by total lack of support from the other end. The obvious question arises: are our bowlers trained enough to bat?

Different coach, different ways

Former coaches reveal their training methods for tailenders at nets.
Bishan Singh Bedi: DURING my short tenure as coach of the Indian team I had insisted that the bowlers get to bat first at the nets before they bowl. In fact, the bowlers should bat for a while and the batsmen should bowl to loosen their arm muscles. But I will add here that since there are no all-rounders in the side, one should not expect much from the bunch of tailenders we have in the present team.

Madan Lal: WHEN I was the national team8217;s coach, I always used to make it mandatory for all the members of the team to have batting practice at nets 8211; even if it was for only 10 minutes. If the frontline batsmen get to bat for 20-30 minutes each, bowlers, too, must be given enough time to improve their batting skills.

Anshuman Gaekwad: FOR every bowler in the side, I had assigned a specialist batsmen in the team as his personal coach. Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid used to talk to all the bowlers on batting technique. Moreover for atleast two days in a week, bowlers used exclusively bat at the nets. And besides that my brief to the bowlers at the nets was this was a match like situation for them, in case they got they day with the bat was over.
8212; S Santhanam

The facts point to the contrary: In the last 10 Test matches, the 8th, 9th and 10th partnerships have seen 19 single digit scores partnerships in the 24 partnerships. And just twice they have scored the 50 runs stand. Bishan Singh Bedi, admittedly a bunny with the bat himself, points to the root of the problems. 8216;8216;I am sure these bowlers aren8217;t getting a chance to bat at the nets. After the mainline batsmen have had their batting sessions, playing the main bowlers, there will be none to bowl to the bowlers at the nets. Therefore, the bowlers lose interest to bat at the nets when they have no regular bowlers to bowl at them.8217;8217;

There is also the problem of a serious lack of all-rounders in the side. The former national coach and present selector emphasises the point by saying, 8216;8216;The fault basically lies with our domestic coaches. They no longer encourage all-rounders. During our playing days, most of us bowlers used to make centuries in domestic tournaments.8217;8217;

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One couldn8217;t agree with him more, especially if one scans the archives. It shows a reverse metamorphosis for Indian cricket.

Since the array of all-rounders crowded the Indian eleven in the 80s, when the team had virtually no tail, the 90s has seen a steady increase in the number of bowlers who can8217;t bat for their life.

Former coach Anshuman Gaekwad takes a different view. 8216;8216;Well not just the tailenders, even the frontline batsmen are struggling abroad.8217;8217;

Sandeep Dwivedi

Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports. Professional Profile Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website. Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week. Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports. Areas of Expertise While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas: Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant. Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes. Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara. Notable Recent Work & Themes Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success. Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War. The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game. Tenure and Experience Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations. You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More