In a major step towards strengthening India's fast bowling pipeline, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly planning to appoint three dedicated fast bowling coaches at the Center of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.
According to the report of Times of India, former Indian fast bowler Lakshmipati Balaji And VRV Singh has emerged as the leading candidate for the two roles. Meanwhile, coach P Krishna Kumar, who has recently earned praise for his work with the Jammu and Kashmir team, is also believed to be in contention.
Former India bowlers Vinay Kumar and Tinu Yohannan were also among those interviewed. The post of fast bowling coach has been vacant in the COE since the completion of Troy Cooley's tenure last year.
As part of the proposed structure, the CoE is expected to divide responsibilities into three specialized roles. A coach can work closely with bowlers coming through the age-group route, starting from the under-16 level. The second is likely to focus on the fast bowlers who are either in the Indian team's plans or training at the COE to further hone their skills.
The third coach is expected to oversee the transition path for fast bowlers, ensuring a smooth progression from junior cricket to the senior setup. Notably, the CoE already follows a similar multi-coach structure for strength and conditioning specialists as well as physiotherapists. The move comes amid growing concerns over the long-term development of India's emerging fast bowlers.
In 2024, the national selectors had launched a fast bowling contract scheme for promising fast bowlers, but the initiative was discontinued after a year.
There is also increasing discussion about the inability of many young fast bowlers to maintain consistency and progress after making an initial impact. The India A programme, once considered a strong developmental platform during Rahul Dravid's tenure at the then National Cricket Academy (NCA), is no longer seen with the same effectiveness.
While overseeing Dravid's developmental squads, a core group of bowlers worked under the close supervision of him and former bowling coach Paras Mhambrey. fall of Umran Malik This is reportedly being seen as an example of why raw speed talent needs constant guidance, workload management and technical support.
Apart from the fast bowling appointments, former Rajasthan wicketkeeper Dishant Yagnik is likely to join the CoE setup as the fielding coach. Meanwhile, Dhananjay Kaushik has reportedly been promoted as head of sports medicine, replacing Nitin Patel.
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