Bengaluru: A lot has changed since Jeff Thomson used to come steaming in, guns blazing, and bowl at express pace. Maybe, the game has lost a bit of the edge and rawness that existed during his time.
But the former Australian quickie, who now wears the hat of a bowling coach with the IDBI Federal Life Insurance Bowling Foundation, revealed that while the game may have mellowed down a bit, there are still many ways for a fast bowler to be aggressive on the field.
“I teach them a different kind of aggression. The aggression doesn’t come with a celebration of a wicket but it’s about owning up to the field,” said Thomson on Wednesday.
“You have got to think that this is my ground and the batsman will play the way I make him play. It’s getting them to believing in themselves and getting the captain to believe and stick with them despite conceding boundaries. It’s not effortlessly showing aggression. You’ve got to change with the times,” said the former thunderbolt.
The 65-year-old also had high praise for Shardul Thakur, who has received his maiden call up for India for their four-Test tour of the West Indies.
“I think the smartest bowler changes pace to better suit the occasion. We show them all the different grips and deliveries. Shardul has picked up on it, went out there and did it. Shardul is as good as anybody. He has got the tricks.
“He has got the ability. Dhawal from Mumbai as well. He is really good. Cricket is a lot of repetition and you have to learn all the tricks to outfox the batsman. It’s not just the pace,” he remarked.
Karnataka bowlers David Mathais and Prasidh Krishna along with Mumbai duo Tushar Deshpande and Minad Manjrekar are all set to head to Australia for training at the Centre of Excellence.
