London: India’s bowling coach Bharat Arun is a happy man as his bowlers have done an exceptional job so far by restricting both South Africa and Australia to ensure victories for the team. He feels that his bowlers are so talented that he plays the role of a confidence booster than getting involved with their technique.
After India’s win over Australia, Arun mixed freely with the journalists and answered queries on Indian bowling attack. He is delighted that his team’s opening bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar had shared six wickets against Australia and picked Jasprit Bumrah for special praise. “It’s a dream to have a bowler like him (Bumrah). He’s one of the best in the world both at the beginning of an innings and at the death,” remarked Arun, who feels that he needs only to remind them of the team’s plans. “My job is just to remind him and Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar) about their plans and what they’ve done well in the past.”
Explaining how he goes about his job, he said: “Every bowler goes through a stage where they get hit. It’s my job to remind him about all the good things he has done in the past and build his confidence,” he said.
Arun then explained how much planning goes into before every match especially against Australia. “We had planned not to give the batsmen any width and also to take the pace off the ball and I thought we executed the plans very well. It was a conscious plan to bowl short to David Warner — and you saw that most of the short balls we bowled at him he wasn’t very comfortable with.”
Arun wants his bowlers to bowl according to the conditions. “It was always our plan to open the bowling with Bumrah and Bhuvi because he moves the ball around in English conditions and he bowls well at the death.”
With regard to using pacer Mohammad Shami, who is waiting for his chance, Arun said: “You have to wait for your chance and be ready to grab the opportunities when they come.”
