Atul Sharma

[Ponty]

We see several players younger than 23 years play for India, so it's a point to think about. I get the idea that he'll have a hard time making a Mumbai or Delhi team because of the quantity of pace bowlers in these places. On the other hand, he'll have a chance of leading a bowling attack of a team that's got very weak or ineffective pace bowlers, and hopefully it will be a profitable option (unlike most Plate teams). All of this is, of course, selectors look at quality and not just age, which is the right way to go.

I have a sneaky feeling that if you have India's fastest bowler you'd probably find a place for him regardless of age, wouldn't you?

 

[Polo23]

I have a sneaky feeling that if you have India's fastest bowler you'd probably find a place for him regardless of age, wouldn't you?

Not if he's a complete scattergun.

 

[Ponty]

Not if he's a complete scattergun.

Don't know anyone with extreme pace who is a scattergun. But before you add any other criteria to Atul playing matches: yes he has control, yes he can swing it, no he is not injury prone, yes he has great stamina, yes he knows how to seam a cricket ball, no he's not a liability in the field (awesome ground speed and throw) and YES, he has to play some cricket.

And before some amusing poster says ''not injury prone...lol...he already injured'', I mean he is not PRONE to injury. All fast bowlers suffer from problems.

 

[Prince EWS]

Don't know anyone with extreme pace who is a scattergun

Oh, so you're yet to meet Shaun Tait.

 

[Ponty]

Oh, so you're yet to meet Shaun Tait.

I would love to have been as 'scattergun' as Tait and played international cricket. And you make my point, which is pace counts. I said you'll always try to find a place at FC level for someone rapid. Tait being my point.

 

[Polo23]

Don't know anyone with extreme pace who is a scattergun. But before you add any other criteria to Atul playing matches: yes he has control, yes he can swing it, no he is not injury prone, yes he has great stamina, yes he knows how to seam a cricket ball, no he's not a liability in the field (awesome ground speed and throw) and YES, he has to play some cricket.

And before some amusing poster says ''not injury prone...lol...he already injured'', I mean he is not PRONE to injury. All fast bowlers suffer from problems.

So why exactly hasn't he played a cricket game in 7 years? I can't imagine your experimental training techniques completely excluded actually playing the game he was training for?

From what you're saying, he is already the best bowler in the world.

 

[Uppercut]

Don't know anyone with extreme pace who is a scattergun. But before you add any other criteria to Atul playing matches: yes he has control, yes he can swing it, no he is not injury prone, yes he has great stamina, yes he knows how to seam a cricket ball, no he's not a liability in the field (awesome ground speed and throw) and YES, he has to play some cricket.

And before some amusing poster says ''not injury prone...lol...he already injured'', I mean he is not PRONE to injury. All fast bowlers suffer from problems.

On that topic, have you had any problems with injuries to Atul Sharma as a result of his unique action? With the amount of fitness training he evidently does I'd expect he'd have no problems physically exerting himself when bowling, but it would be a major breakthrough if you've found a way of regular bowling in the high-nineties without any recurring issues at all. Has there been any problems in particular that you've encountered?

 

[Arjun]

I have a sneaky feeling that if you have India's fastest bowler you'd probably find a place for him regardless of age, wouldn't you?

We don't even know if he is India's fastest bowler. We don't know if he's fastest at peak, or on an average. Even if he was he'd find a place in any team if he can get a bagful of wickets. For that, he'll need a game at a lower level.

He will need more than a little time if he's trying for Mumbai, since there's a new rule stating that he has to play grade cricket for so long if he wishes to make the Mumbai team, and he's behind a whole queue of pacers. I don't know about the rule in Delhi, but that scene is also congested. On the other hand, going by what you say, he'll easily lead the bowling for a whole lot of Plate teams and maybe a few Elite teams, but he'll get practically nowhere if he plays for a Plate team unless that team wins the tournament.

To sum it up, we need to look at available options. Some options are almost impossible, while among those possible are some options that will not take him very far, so we have to choose an option that will provide the best return.

 

[Polo23]

We don't even know if he is India's fastest bowler. We don't know if he's fastest at peak, or on an average. Even if he was he'd find a place in any team if he can get a bagful of wickets. For that, he'll need a game at a lower level.

To be perfectly honest...we don't even know if he can bowl 85mph.

 

[Gowza]

going by the article it sounds like he started having leg troubles at about 15/16, first had surgery in india which went wrong, then had surgery abroad which finally fixed it, then had to strengthen up so he could actually be on his feet and run around and then he met pont and started working on the new action and the various training methods that he's been using.

the leg situation could have easily taken up to 3 years maybe even longer (from all the surgeries, to the recovery after the surgeries, to finding someone abroad who will actually do it for free). then after that he was working on the new action (3 years working on an action is awhile but by the sounds of it it was a complete overhaul not just a tweak here or there so i suppose it could have taken awhile to get it right).

with the leg issue and overhaul of the action i can see how it could take years out of cricket, though i'm not sure why it took 3 years to overhaul the action and get on the park, he should have been trying to play some matches as soon as they got the action right and i don't see how that could take 3 years.

 

[vic_orthdox]

So why exactly hasn't he played a cricket game in 7 years? I can't imagine your experimental training techniques completely excluded actually playing the game he was training for?

From what you're saying, he is already the best bowler in the world.

Making minor changes in bowling technique can fall apart under the pressure situation of a game at any level. A player will tend to go back to what he knows best and makes them feel comfortable, back into old habits. It's why international players only ever seem to change techniques as a result of injury, or during times when they are out with an unrelated injury. You can't be heading into games still trialling something like a technique change.

I'd imagine that when you've completely remodelled someone, taken apart their action and pieced it together again piece by piece, you need to reinforce that until it becomes human nature, and they have complete faith in that technique. The purpose of not playing cricket, in my mind, makes complete sense in terms of actually enforcing the change and making sure that the bowler has faith in it.

Of course, talking about 7 years out of the game, etc. I don't ever proclaim to know how long is reasonable, whatever. But there's a greater need to actually refine the action and make sure that the bowling action is fine first of all, then exposing it to game day only once it is ready.

 

[Ponty]

going by the article it sounds like he started having leg troubles at about 15/16, first had surgery in india which went wrong, then had surgery abroad which finally fixed it, then had to strengthen up so he could actually be on his feet and run around and then he met pont and started working on the new action and the various training methods that he's been using.

the leg situation could have easily taken up to 3 years maybe even longer (from all the surgeries, to the recovery after the surgeries, to finding someone abroad who will actually do it for free). then after that he was working on the new action (3 years working on an action is awhile but by the sounds of it it was a complete overhaul not just a tweak here or there so i suppose it could have taken awhile to get it right).

with the leg issue and overhaul of the action i can see how it could take years out of cricket, though i'm not sure why it took 3 years to overhaul the action and get on the park, he should have been trying to play some matches as soon as they got the action right and i don't see how that could take 3 years.

That was a brilliantly insightful post and summed up why this has taken so long. The answer to your second part about the past 3 years is that Atul was a FRONT ON bowler when I saw him. He is now totally sideways to access a stretch reflex. That is a massive overhaul of an action from top to bottom as well as sequencing.

You have to remember that Atul is in India and I am in the UK. He is not my only fast bowler and much of the journey he has made along under guidance. We don't live conveniently and so work where we can when we can. This means changes are made then have to be assessed before moving on.

It was a joint decision to keep him away from 'negative' cricket coaches and people who would simply ridicule what we were doing. This included playing matches when he was half-baked, which would show nothing useful as we were still changing technique and simply invite criticism.

Yeah he coulda rocked up in club matches and bowled 80 mph but that wasn't something we felt was useful. This journey was going to be speed based.

It's a different way to do things I know. I look forward to the results.

 

[Ponty]

Making minor changes in bowling technique can fall apart under the pressure situation of a game at any level. A player will tend to go back to what he knows best and makes them feel comfortable, back into old habits. It's why international players only ever seem to change techniques as a result of injury, or during times when they are out with an unrelated injury. You can't be heading into games still trialling something like a technique change.

I'd imagine that when you've completely remodelled someone, taken apart their action and pieced it together again piece by piece, you need to reinforce that until it becomes human nature, and they have complete faith in that technique. The purpose of not playing cricket, in my mind, makes complete sense in terms of actually enforcing the change and making sure that the bowler has faith in it.

Of course, talking about 7 years out of the game, etc. I don't ever proclaim to know how long is reasonable, whatever. But there's a greater need to actually refine the action and make sure that the bowling action is fine first of all, then exposing it to game day only once it is ready.

100% spot on. At last - someone who gets it.

 

[Shri]

@Pont:

How long is he expected to be out of action because of his current shoulder injury? Have you been in contact with him during the IPL? Has Warne seen him bowl in the nets assuming he is fit?

 

[Ponty]

@Pont:

How long is he expected to be out of action because of his current shoulder injury? Have you been in contact with him during the IPL? Has Warne seen him bowl in the nets assuming he is fit?

I have just come back from the IPL myself. Spent time with Atul working on finishing the technical stuff as we have lost 8 weeks due to injury. His shoulder is stiff but recovering. I hope he can play a part in the IPL for RR. As yet, he hasn't joined up with the squad as there is not much point until his shoulder is 100%.

 

[Shri]

I have just come back from the IPL myself. Spent time with Atul working on finishing the technical stuff as we have lost 8 weeks due to injury. His shoulder is stiff but recovering. I hope he can play a part in the IPL for RR. As yet, he hasn't joined up with the squad as there is not much point until his shoulder is 100%.

Thanks for the info. Keep us updated.

 

[Gowza]

You have to remember that Atul is in India and I am in the UK. He is not my only fast bowler and much of the journey he has made along under guidance. We don't live conveniently and so work where we can when we can. This means changes are made then have to be assessed before moving on.

ah, this makes more sense, didn't take this into consideration when i was writing my previous post. also agree with not playing until he was completely comfortable and confident in the new action, just didn't think it would take 3 years to get to that stage, but i can understand that living apart would make it a bit harder to progress.

 

[Polo23]

So once this shoulder injury has healed, he will be playing proper cricket matches? Or is it another 7 years of training?

 

[Manee]

So once this shoulder injury has healed, he will be playing proper cricket matches? Or is it another 7 years of training?

Getting a bit tiresome with the cynacism.

 

[Polo23]

Getting a bit tiresome with the cynacism.

I'm a cynic, shoot me.

It was a genuine question though, when is this guy supposed to be on the park and playing actual cricket? You'd have thought 7 years would be enough time to prepare for a game.