Young guns wait for shot at the big time

On a track that is likely to support India8217;s traditional bowling strengths, four youngsters stand in queue to make their debut in Tests...

On a track that is likely to support India8217;s traditional bowling strengths, four youngsters stand in queue to make their debut in Tests. Three of them are bowlers 8212; two medium pacers, one spinner 8212; and they spent most of Monday working out their gameplan if they get the call.

S Sreesunth, VRV Singh and Piyush Chawla bowled intensely at the nets, preparing for what could be their first Test for India. They focused mainly on their run-up and maintaining a proper line and bowled a little too short for Sehwag and Dravid8217;s liking.

Incidentally, so happy are the captain and coach with this wicket that they went and thanked the curator Kishore Pradhan.

Excited over the prospect of a debut, Sreesunth is currently busy learning what could be the best possible approach on a pitch that will support slow bowling. 8216;8216;The trick is to concentrate on a good line, give away as less runs as possible,8217;8217; he says.

The newest speedster on the block, who impressed Rahul Dravid with his medium pace and his attitude in the one-dayers against Pakistan, believes that it is important for any newcomer to stick to the basics, especially in testing conditions.

Sreesunth8217;s senior Rudra Pratap Singh, who has already experienced bowling on flat tracks in Pakistan during Tests, has a similar opinion. RP says the success in Pakistan especially Lahore and Faisalabad was because of the mistakes committed by the batsmen. 8216;8216;Bowlers had very little to do and the pitch wasn8217;t helpful,8217;8217; he remembers.

That, he believes, has given RP the experience to handle such docile wickets. Except for the first day, the wicket is going to be really slow, and RP8212;who relies a lot on swing8212;expects to come up with a 8216;8216;disciplined performance,8217;8217; which, he feels, will be the need of the hour. For Chawla, things have moved so fast that he hasn8217;t yet found time to speak to Anil Kumble. Chawla was first picked as a prospect by Erapalli Prasanna at a spinners8217; conclave a little more than two years ago; since then he8217;s played the Under-19 World Cup and helped his state Uttar Pradesh win the Ranji Trophy. The performances have given him an opportunity to wear his first Test cap and the leg-spinner says he 8216;8216;will try to do his best.8217;8217;

Story continues below this ad

Chawla talks about line and length as if they are old acquaintances. Explaining the point that his bowling has more 8216;8216;variation8217;8217; than just turning it big, the young bowler gives an immediate run-down on his strengths and weaknesses.

Like Sreesunth, even Chawla8217;s most prized scalp until today is that of Sachin Tendulkar8217;s during the Challenger Trophy last year. 8216;8216;It was a special one,8217;8217; he says.

Currently, though, his eyes are fixed on playing in the first Test. 8216;8216;Ranji Trophy has taught me how to bowl for long spells,8217;8217; he says confidently, assured that bowling for long hours will be the basic requirement as a spinner at the international level.

If there is something that Chawla has in abundance, it8217;s confidence. At the VCA, he is sure that there is all that a spinner can hope to get in a debut match.