Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 392 Mon. July 04, 2005  
   
Sports


Srinath likes Chappell's priorities


Former India speedster Javagal Srinath on Saturday said coach Greg Chappell's priorities were "fantastic", noting that the first thing he focused was on fast bowlers.

"His priorities are fantastic," Srinath told reporters here. "He has focused first on fast bowlers. That's the right way to go about it".

Srinath, who is associated with MRF Pace Foundation, interacted with fast bowlers -- along with the foundation's director and Australian pace guru Dennis Lillee -- who are undergoing a pre-season physical conditioning camp.

"I have always said fast bowlers are an orphaned lot in this country," he said. "Chappell has taken good stock of what he has (fast bowlers) and what can translate into higher level. I don't think anybody has done that before".

Srinath made it abundantly clear that spinner-friendly tracks in India were responsible for the country not producing many world-class fast bowlers. "If we have good wickets; we will have good fast bowlers. If we have good wickets, we will have lot of Kapil Devs and many more bowlers".

"I want three fast bowlers to play in each Test match; but that will happen only when we have good wickets".

Srinath said faulty bowling actions could be one of the reasons for some of the fast bowlers in India being on the injury list often. "You can bowl, you can get wickets. But over a period of time, you can get injured (because of faulty actions) which is not good for fast bowlers. Faulty actions need to be corrected," he said.

Earlier, Chappell said services of Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad, both Bangalore-based, would be utilised during the camps and in-between camps.