India are blessed with many leaders in the batting and bowling departments across formats. R Ashwin and Mohammed Shami have been leading spin and pace bowling for years. The outgoing India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has spoken about the need to discuss the plans of the off-spinner and the pacer.
Ashwin played his 100th Test during the five-match series against England, while Shami has been missing from action since the 2023 ODI World Cup due to an ankle injury. The seamer is recovering from surgery and has started bowling in the nets. Mhambrey, in an exclusive with the Times of India, said that a plan is needed for the senior bowlers, and the young bowlers should be made to bowl alongside them.
“It is time to have a discussion with Shami and Ashwin about their future. When we invested in youth, we made sure that they had seniors with them. Be it, Arshdeep Singh or Avesh Khan; we kept the senior close to them,” he said.
Mhambrey said that a timeline can’t be put forward while creating a pool of fast bowlers.
“We started in 2015, and the pool was ready by 2020. If you look at Arshdeep, he participated in the U-19 World Cup in 2018 and became an integral part of the senior team in 2024. A young pacer takes four to five years to hit his peak,” he added.
India’s next Test series is against Bangladesh in September. Shami and Ashwin are expected to play against their subcontinental rivals.
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