Asia Cup 2018: BCCI Sends Five Bowlers To UAE For Quality Net Session

In an order to give the players a quality preparation ahead of the Asia Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has sent five India A bowlers to United Arabia Emirates help the side.

The BCCI has sent three pacers and two spinners as the Men in Blue gear up to defend their title. The Three pacers are – Avesh Khan of Madhya Pradesh, M Prasidh Krishna of Karnataka and Siddarth Kaul of Punjab. On the other hand, Shahbaz Nadeem and Mayank Markande are two spinners. The bowlers will be with the team for the next three days before India play their first game. Moreover, with the Vijay Hazare Trophy getting underway on September 19, the players are likely to return to represent their states.

All the five bowlers are big names in domestic circuits. Except Avesh, the other four played for either India A or India B in the recently concluded Quadrangular series. Kaul was also a part of the senior team during the limited-overs leg of the UK tour.

A BCCI official while speaking to PTI revealed the reason behind the decision, saying:

“Not everywhere do you get quality net bowlers and it becomes a problem for the senior team during practice sessions. With back to back games, you don’t expect a Bhuvneshwar Kumar or a Jasprit Bumrah to bowl flat out at the nets. Also, the young academy bowlers at times can’t provide quality practice. Hence we have got some of our next line of bowlers.”

He also said that bowling in the nets would also help the bowlers, pointing out young spinner Markande.

“This is a process that proves to be mutually beneficial for the team. While senior batsmen get quality practice, someone like a Mayank Markande can learn a lot by bowling at the India nets. Also, the senior players and the coaches can only keep a tab on the talent pool,” he added.

Well, this is not the first time, the BCCI has sent bowlers for overseas assignments. Earlier this year, it sent Avesh and Basil Thampi to South Africa.

The BCCI, meanwhile, has also hired a left-arm throwdown expert from Sri Lanka to help India players counter left-arm bowlers.

India start their Asia Cup campaign against qualifiers Hong Kong on September 18. On the very next day, they will take on arch-rivals Pakistan.