Shane Bond: Managing workload for fast bowlers important

Mumbai Indians’ bowling coach wants potent fast bowlers such as Lasith Malinga “fit and fine” at the back end of the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Lasith Malinga takes a breather during a training session in Mumbai earlier this month.

 

Mumbai Indians’ (MI) bowling coach Shane Bond believes it is necessary to manage the workload of bowlers in the tight schedule of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). The former Kiwi seamer, who was one of the fastest bowlers of his times, gave the example of Sri Lanka’s out-of-form pacer Lasith Malinga.

“There is a lot of discussion between myself, (MI coach) Mahela Jayawardene and (team) management about managing him (Malinga) through a tighter schedule (of the) IPL this year,” Bond told

PTI here.

“We are aware about all our bowlers and (need) to manage workload, and in particular for the guys (players) who have come back from injury. Even though Mali (Malinga) hasn’t had the best of times, there were going to be games he was to be pulled out because we wanted to make sure he is fresh and rested,” added the 41-year-old from Christchurch.

An out-of-form Malinga, who has been a champion bowler for Sri Lanka and MI, has been leaking runs this IPL season. “This is a long tournament and we want guys all fit and fine at the back-end of the tournament. We have got good back-up in Mitch (Mitchell) Johnson and Tim Southee. So that’s the challenge for us now, who to play, because we have got a good bowling stock,” said Bond.

Table-topper MI has so far played eight games at the Wankhede stadium and its bowling attack has been so far impressive.