Mission 2019

New Delhi: His significant contribution in creating a pool of quality speedsters cannot be ignored and India’s bowling coach Bharat Arun is already focussed on his next goal — preparing the talented back-up pacers keeping an eye on the 2019 World Cup in England.

The team management have already got their core pacers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah as far as the limited overs format is concerned.
Arun, along with head coach Ravi Shastri and skipper Virat Kohli, will be looking to at least have three more back-up options in place.

“Yes, the Sri Lanka T20 tri-series will give us ample opportunity to test the bench strength of our pace bowling unit. We have two world class operators in Bhuvi and Bumrah but we have also created a good pool. The pacers (Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Jaydev Unadkat) who are going to Sri Lanka will be looking forward to grabbing the opportunity,” Arun said.

“Since we have a long season ahead, we have to be ready for any injury or fitness issues. Shardul Thakur has come up nicely and done well in South Africa also. Even Shami and Umesh are very much in contention as they will be playing the Deodhar Trophy (for India A and B respectively),” Arun said.

Most of the current bowlers have had their stint at the National Cricket Academy as juniors and Arun as a former coach at NCA has seen them from close quarters. So does he think Jaydev Unadkat, after his success in T20 format, can be successful in the ODIs (he has played a few) and give India a left-arm option, Arun said: “Since I am not a selector, I wouldn’t comment whether he should be in the ODI scheme of things but as a coach, my job is to believe that each and every bowler at this level possess the quality and temperament to be successful.

“Adaptability is the key and it differs from player to player. If Jaydev can adapt well, then there is no reason why he can’t play ODIs for India,” the former India pacer said.

For someone, who has watched Bumrah start his international career as a T20 specialist and now spreading his wings in the Test arena, Arun never had doubts about the Gujarat bowler’s success.

“We always knew that Jasprit had potential. He is versatile and can cause trouble for any batsman both with new and old ball,” said Arun.
But what gives the bowling coach even more satisfaction is the fact that finally they have been able to put in place a potent mix of pacers, who can get 20 wickets in a Test match. “Bhuvi is now bowling close to 140 kmph and can swing the ball both ways. Shami has this ability to produce a devastating spell out of nowhere,” Arun said,