SHARJAH, MARCH 23: The Indian bowling lacks penetration. If batsmen are looking at 300-plus chases every second game, isn't it time for some serious introspection and a look at means to rejuvenate the Indian attack?Of the seamers, Javagal Srinath seems to be tired and uninterested, Ajit Agarkar's aggression is not fetching him wickets while Thiru Kumaran's so-called fire and Venkatesh Prasad's experience are yet to be channelised into wickets. The spinners are better, but only slightly. Leg-spinner Anil Kumble and left-armer Sunil Joshi somtimes spring in a pleasant surprise on the slow sub-continent tracks, but where is the consistency?It is a pity that Sachin Tendulkar is the Indian skipper's best bowling bet and is expected to play a dual role - of stemming the run-rate as well as taking wickets. Makes one wonder then, what the regulars are for?Kapil Dev becoming the Indian coach last year was expected to improve the fast bowling standards of the team. Did Kapil have nothing to offer? Or, were the bowlers unable to pick up the tips? Or worse still, did the bowlers want to be left alone?Insiders say Kapil was actually disappointed that the seniors were not listening to him on the Australian tour. At times, he even had a few harsh words to say but no seamer stuck to his famous ``pitch it up'' theory. ``What can I do? I can only guide them. I can't go and bowl for them in matches,'' Kapil confessed to his close associates.Both Srinath and Agarkar have a history of frequent breakdowns, which have definitely hampered their pace and style. It's time the Indian board looked at the cruel itineraries, which require the players to play even in May-June heat, and start giving timely rests to the already overloaded cricketers.Take Srinath for instance. When was the last time he looked sharp and fresh? He picked up one wicket, giving away 120-odd runs in the last two one-dayers against South Africa at home. Even in the opening game at Sharjah on Wednesday, Srinath failed to make an impression on the rival batsmen. No wonder he was dropped from the game against Pakistan, though the official version is he has been ``rested''.If he is actually injured, blame it again on the hectic schedules. If the best fast bowler is suffering so much, why risk his career? The Australians have a way of handling things. They have groomed their second line in such phased manner, they keep coming in to give respite to their regulars.Glenn McGrath gets rest, so does Damien Fleming and at the same time the team doesn't have to compromise on quality. In fact, it's difficult for the selectors to drop players like Shane Lee and Andrew Symonds, once their job as in stand-ins is over.Also, the wickets in our domestic cricket are such the ball does not rise above knee level and spinners start raising dust from the opening day's first session itself. Now that Ganguly has asked for centres preparing such wickets to be punished, it should be taken in a positive manner. It's strange why the land of spinners is not producing decent spinners. Why not have spin academies, just like the pace academies, and ask the world-famous spin quartet of Bishan Singh Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrashekhar and Srinivas Venkatraghavan to chip in?Spin has always won matches for India and maybe we should actually look at the old winning formula. Only, we should prepare sporting tracks so that spinners at the domestic level, too, learn the art of flighting and sorting the batsman out. The cricket administrators better move or it will be too late.
