‘Their fitness needs to be monitored’ - Former India wicketkeeper criticizes NCA’s struggle to keep fast bowlers fit

Former wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim said that the National Cricket Academy (NCA) has failed to maintain the fitness level of Indian fast bowlers and questioned the same for not monitoring their fitness. India’s premium pacer Jasprit Bumrah was not part of the Asia Cup and 20-20 World Cup 2022 due to injury.

Prasidh Krishna was also dealing with an injury. Yash Dayal who was recently included in the ODI team for the upcoming Bangladesh tour ruled out of the series because of a lower back issue.

Meanwhile, pace-bowling all-rounder Deepak Chahar recently made a return to international cricket after a long injury layoff. Due to a lack of options, Team India handed debuts to Umran Malik as well as Arshdeep Singh in the first ODI against New Zealand in Auckland on Friday, November 25.

‘It is the job of the NCA’: Saba Karim

Karim said that he believes that there is a lot of fast bowling talent in the country but injury and fitness concerns for Team India’s pace bowlers are definitely a worrying factor and said that it is the job of the NCA to keep an eye on the player’s fitness.

“As far as I am aware, it is the job of the NCA, who sits with the team management and selectors and shortlist a pool of 10-12 fast bowlers. They need to guide the fast bowlers; their fitness needs to be monitored. The bowlers’ workload management also needs to be taken into consideration, so that the players are available whenever the team needs them. Why it’s not happening is difficult to say, but we definitely have young pacers, who can bowl quick.”

“I can give you 4-5 names. Kuldeep Sen, who has been picked for Bangladesh, can bowl at 140 kph. There is Avesh Khan and Shivam Mavi as well, who plays for UP. I have seen him click 140 in domestic cricket. Kartik Tyagi had impressed as a net bowler during the Australia tour. Khaleel Ahmed has also bowled really well in the Indian T20 Lague,” he said.