Reverse swing safe with Pakistan

Pakistani bowlers are masters of the art of reverse swing because their pacers shared the knowledge about it among themselves, according to T.A. Sekhar, one of the finest bowling coaches in the game today. Speaking to Gulf News yesterday, Sekhar, who is conducting a clinic at the G-Force Cricket Academy in Zabeel Park, said: "Pakistanis have really mastered the art of reverse swing. Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis were fantastic exponents of reverse swing, though it was all invented by Khan Mohammad. He passed it on to others." Sekhar who, along with Dennis Lillee, groomed some of the best pacers in the world today, said: "One good thing about Pakistan fast bowlers is that they passed on the art of reverse swing to the younger generation, while in India it never happened. "Whatever somebody could do [with the ball] he alone did it. It was never passed on due to their insecurity, but I don't want to name anyone. "In Pakistan we have seen Imran [Khan] mentoring Wasim Akram, Waqar Younus and Aqib Javed, and they in turn passed it on to other pacers. So the legacy continues but in India it did not happen," added Sekhar, who was instrumental in shaping Indian pacers like Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Shantakumaran Sreesanth, R.P. Singh, Munaf Patel and young Varun Aaron. To a query on why Pakistan produces better pacers than India, Sekhar said: "India never had pacers as role models. Kapil Dev was a great swing bowler but not a fast bowler. He is one of the best swing bowlers I have ever come across, but was not quick. He hardly bowled beyond 125 to 130km/h. Role models "Pakistan always had bowlers who could bowl at plus 140km/h. People in Pakistan also wanted to bowl like Imran [Khan]. They always had role models and genetically they are much stronger than Indians. Even Sri Lankans are genetically stronger. India is now reaching that stage with Zaheer Khan. Only recently people have realised the importance of weight training and proper scientific ways of getting stronger." Elaborating on the various methods of coaching, Sekhar said: "One of the most important tools in coaching today is video analysis. With the naked eye one cannot see many things. Only if you slow down and observe can you find out why a particular bowler is doing things the wrong way." Video analysis Talking about the various factors that shape a bowler, especially a good pacer, he said: "Many think that they have got the action of Kapil Dev, Lillee or Ian Botham, but the moment they see themselves on a video they get the shock of their lives and realise how different they are in reality." When asked how important is physique in fast bowling, Sekhar said: "Height is an advantage, especially 6ft-plus, but that does not mean somebody who is around 5ft 9in or 5ft 10in cannot become a fast bowler. Malcolm Marshall was only 5'9. Dale Steyn is also not very tall. "If you have height like Curtley Ambrose and [Courtney] Walsh it helps, but it is not a disadvantage if you are not tall. "Physique-wise one has to be strong. Fast bowling has got a lot of awkward movements while running and bowling. So those muscles have to be really built up. Everyone must do a lot of weight training and make sure it is not weightlifting and it must be done under the supervision of a fitness trainer."