Dennis Lillee is hopeful for the future of Indian fast bowling - Cricket News Update
After ending his 25-year association with the MRF Pace Foundation, former Australian legend, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dennis-Keith-Lillee-c53639, has expressed his satisfaction over his long stay at the academy and is hopeful that the institution will remain a torch bearer in the development
of young fast bowlers.
Lillee, a founding member of the academy, ended his long-time association with MRF this month. He will be succeeded by fellow countryman and another great, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Glenn-Donald-McGrath-c60183.
In an interview with Cricketnext, Lillee reminisced, “When I first showed up in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750, not many people gave me or the MRF Foundation a chance.”
The former great further added that the lack of infrastructure and training posed the biggest challenges in the formative years of the academy. “There was no guidance, which was surprising. The drill was show up, bowl in the nets, and turn your arms over.”
It was in 1987, that the idea of a coaching clinic to produce fast bowlers in India was realized. For that reason a pace foundation was established in Chennai, headed by Lillee as its first coaching director, who was tasked with the responsibility to provide
India with fast bowlers, despite the country being renowned for its world-class spinners – the likes of Vinod Mankad, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Anil-Kumble-c44737.
However, unlike its erstwhile rival, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, the Men in Blue has struggled to find a tear-away pacer, despite the emergence of several quality fast bowlers. Lillee is credited to have polished the fledgling careers of many distinguished Indian bowlers,
including http://www.senore.com/Cricket/S-Sreesanth-c2398 and many more.
“We changed all that, though it took a while. Today the understanding of fast bowling in India and what's required to be a fast bowler is there. The need to be mentally tough, have to work hard,” Lillee said.
Satisfied with his long stint with the academy, the 63-year-old is hopeful that Indian cricket has come of age to realise its potential in the fast bowling department.
“India realized that they needed fast bowlers to win them Test matches, especially overseas. Spin has a role to play; fast bowlers have a bigger role to play,” the Australian concluded.
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