Erapalli Prasanna, the former Indian offspinner, has suggested that the BCCIhold back promising youngsters with a suspect bowling action from international matches
PTI25-Apr-2006
Young bowlers with a suspect bowling action should not be allowed to play international cricket, says Prasanna © Getty Images
Erapalli Prasanna, the former Indian offspinner, has suggested that the BCCIhold back promising youngsters with a suspect bowling action from international matches, and frame a uniform guideline for rectification of such actions.”Players with doubtful bowling action who have the potential to make it bigshould not be exposed to the international stage before their action isremedied,” Prasanna told newspersons. His suggestion came in the wake of MonishParmar, the teenage offspinner, being reported for suspect bowling action during the ICC under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka.Prasanna said that he had expressed his views about Parmar’s action to the BCCIlast year. “But the board picked him for the under-19 tourney, and now he has become thesubject of discussions for all the wrong reasons. They should have first rectified his action, and then only allowed him to play the Cup.”He said the corrective measures need to be taken when the bowler is at theunder-15 or under-17 levels. “For instance, if I do not like a bowler’s action, I tell him immediately, and give a remedial action,” said Prasanna, now a bowling consultant at theNational Cricket Academy. In this context, Prasanna called upon the board to arrange a thoroughdiscussion on the method of rectification by calling all ‘respected bowlingexponents’.”A uniform guideline must then be framed based on the inputs and all thecoaches should tune their line of thinking accordingly,” he said. Prasanna regretted that till date there was no forum in the BCCI where the matter could be discussed.”But whenever I got the opportunity, I have broached the matter with officialsof the board’s Talent Research Development Wing with the hope that something bedone centrally,” he said. Prasanna, who is currently involved in a six-week EasternZonal camp of the NCA, also felt that Javagal Srinath – appointed member of theICC’s Bowling Action Advisory Panel – should take up the issue with the BCCI. “If he takes the initiative, we can sit and discuss the matter with him,” he said.Expressing his opposition to the rule that allows bowlers to straighten theirarms upto 15 degree during delivery, Prasanna said “this is creatingcomplications. In my opinion, you either throw the ball, or do not throw theball. “I think the old system of the on-field umpire calling for chucking wheneverthey suspected a bowler’s action was better. Now, the decision is taken by theumpire who is off the field. But then, a bowler may get a wicket with a suspectaction. In the new rule, nothing can be done about it.”Prasanna also hailed the work of the BCCI’s spin wing, saying 70% ofthe 40-45 bowlers who were trained at the NCA were now playing Ranji Trophy.