Outgoing Indian bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, has emphasized the fact that the futures of senior bowlers R Ashwin and Mohammed Shami have to be discussed with the new team management. Both Ashwin and Shami have been at the helm of India’s bowling attack in the longer format in both home conditions and overseas challenges during the past years.
He has been one of the leading bowlers, and this year, when he played his 100th Test, against England, he also picked up seven wickets in the first innings. Meanwhile, Shami, who was one of India’s key bowlers in the World Cup last year, is out of action for the time being, as he is undergoing rehabilitation following surgery.
A few days ago, he uploaded a video of his gradual recovery, where he was entering the nets. “Now, we have to rapidly decide as to how much time we can give to them”, said Paras Mhambrey in an exclusive interview with TOI on the sidelines of the ongoing Under-19 series.
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“It’s important to have those discussions regarding their plans with Shami and Ashwin, and then chart out a strategic path going forward. When we decided to invest in youth, we made sure that they weren’t left on their own at any point in time to handle all the responsibilities. Whether it was Arshdeep Singh or Avesh Khan, we made sure that they always bowled along with senior bowlers,” Paras Mhambrey explained.
Mhambrey also mentioned the fact that building a pace bowling pool is not something that happens overnight. He said that the journey to build a pace talent pool started in 2015 and all this came together into a nicely rounded unit in 2020.
He cited the example of Arshdeep Singh, how the pacer developed from his U-19 stint in 2018 to becoming an integral part of the national lineup in 2024. It takes a young pacer four to five years to reach their peak, according to Paras Mhambrey.
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“You can’t put a strict timeline on developing a pace bowling pool. Patience is key. We began this process in 2015 and saw the fruits of our labour by 2020. Arshdeep’s journey is a testimony to this. He played in the U-19 World Cup in 2018 and was representing India by 2022. He finally became one of the core members in 2024. A young pace bowler needs at least four, five years to peak. Rushing them can be detrimental,” Paras Mhambrey explained.
Looking forward, India’s Test series will hold in September, clashing with Bangladesh. Shami and Ashwin are both part of this playing squad, indicating that the duo still holds a lot of relevance for the present team, even though plans for the future that shall be mapped out.
