The Hindu : Imran calls for bowling coach

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 23, 2004

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Imran calls for bowling coach

LAHORE, MARCH 22. The inept show of the Pakistan bowlers in the ongoing one-day series with India has triggered off a debate with legendary cricketer Imran Khan calling for the appointment of a bowling coach, a suggestion rejected by his contemporary and national coach Javed Miandad.

The famed Pakistani attack failed to live up to its reputation in the crucial one-dayer against India on Sunday, allowing the visitors to level the series 2-2.

Imran, a former captain and fast bowling great, said if Pakistan was to win the Test series against India, it must avail the services of a bowling coach, preferably one of the trio of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Aaqib Javed.

``If Pakistan wants to win the series against India they must appoint either Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis or Aaqib Javed as bowling coach who will overcome the weaknesses in Pakistan bowling which has let them down in the one-day series,'' said the former allrounder.

But Miandad, who resisted Daryl Foster's re-appointment as bowling coach after the World Cup 2003, said a coach could not do much if the players were unwilling to learn.

Imran denied he was hankering after Miandad's post and also insisted he had nothing against the coach. ``I have nothing to do with Miandad's post, he has been doing well and suggesting a bowling coach does not mean I have anything against Miandad,'' he said.

``I am suggesting a bowling coach from my observation that Miandad, captain Inzamam-ul Haq and manager Haroon Rasheed are all batsmen and they would not be able to know all the problems a bowler is facing.

``It is a fact that our bowlers need someone at hand during the nets and once you develop a bad habit of over-stepping in the nets it is hard to overcome,'' Imran said. — PTI

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