‘What a bowler thinks and what he actually does are different things’ – Bharat Arun

We speak to the former India allrounder and, until recently, the national team’s bowling coach – Bharat Arun.

Arun gives us a lesson in the craft of bowling, guiding us through what a coach looks for and how he suggests minor adjustments. He assesses Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, R Ashwin, and Axar Patel and explains their strengths and evolution.

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Note: War Minus The Shooting by Mike Marqusee, recently republished by 81allout, is now available on Amazon.com, Amazon.in, Flipkart

Talking Points:

• Arun’s introduction to the game and the allure of quick bowling
• The myths surrounding fast bowling and training in the 1980s
• The reason many Indian bowlers weren’t able to build on their early successes
• The early Bumrah – and what Arun thought of his action and technique
• R Ashwin’s willingness to move out of his comfort zone
• The changes a bowler can look to make – in the run-up and load-up
• Mohammad Siraj’s control in spite of his relentless aggression
• Managing a bowler’s workload – and finding the optimal number of overs to train
• Bhuvaneshwar Kumar working on his fitness and adding pace to his swing
• Assessing India’s losses in South Africa in 2018 and New Zealand in 2020
• India’s magnificent tour to West Indies in 2019 – when Sir Viv was wowed
• The Lord’s Test of 2021 – when England were undone in less than 52 overs
• Axar’s unique angle of delivery – and his ability to bowl straight on a turner

Participants:

Bharat Arun 

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

Related:

‘I cannot tell a bowler what to do or not do. I need to help them understand their own rhythm’ – Bharat Arun interview – Karthik Krishnaswamy – The Cricket Monthly

Bharat Arun on India’s pace revolution, the next Test captain, and the importance of Ashwin – Ayan Acharya – Sportstar

The paaji effect – R Ashwin interviews Bharat Arun – YouTube

Bharat Arun’s report card on Shami, Bumrah, Ashwin, Bhuvi, Jadeja – Sriram Veera – Indian Express

Chennai Super King – R Ashwin profile – Karthik Krishnaswamy – The Cricket Monthly

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