It’s a new season and fresh challenges await Lakshmipathy Balaji. As the Tamil Nadu bowling coach, Balaji realises the value of a good beginning. Ahead of the Chennai-leg of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the former India paceman is confident his bowling group will deliver.
Balaji said on Sunday, “We have a good mix. I am happy K. Vignesh had a good Duleep Trophy. He is a rhythm bowler, has some pace and moves the ball. He adapts well to white ball cricket.”
The man affectionately called “Bala bhai” is delighted the fit-again left-arm seamer T. Natarajan is hitting his straps.
Bala said, “Vignesh-Natarajan is a right-left combination. The angles are different. Importantly, both bowl up to the batsmen, make them play. Once you do that, you pick wickets.”
He believed Natarajan had evolved. “He is a more crafty bowler these days, reads situations better.”
Bala liked the first looks of the new kid on the block S. Sharun Kumar. “He reminds me of myself when I was young. He is wiry, tall, has a high-arm action, hits a length and the seam is upright. There is zip off the wicket for him.”
“Sharun is a boy from the districts. We have to make him feel comfortable in the Tamil Nadu set-up,” he added.
Then, there is the experienced M. Mohammed. “He is different in the sense he has a whippy action and bowls a bit off the wrong foot.” Completing the pace pack will be skipper Vijay Shankar. “He is a batting all-rounder but has come on with the ball.”
In the spin attack, Bala was confident that the two left-armers, Rahil Shah and Sai Kishore would deliver. “When we won the Vijay Hazare and Deodhar Trophies in 2016-17, both bowled well. They are different bowlers.”
On fresh face C.V. Varun, Balaji said, “He has the action of a leg-spinner, bowls the googly. Varun also sends down the carrom ball and the leg-cutter.”
Balaji is optimistic that his bowling group will hunt as a pack.
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