There is nothing wrong in grooming Kulwant Khejroliya: RP Singh

Out of favor veteran Indian pace bowler, RP Singh, believes that it is indeed very hard to find good quality left arm seamers. Recently, during the India’s tour to Sri Lanka, the Indian bowling coach Bharath Arun had remarked that the team is looking for a left arm seamer. He had lauded the Indian bowling attack and the variation that it boasts of.

However, he had mentioned that a left arm seamer would make things complete for India keeping the 2019 World Cup in mind. Now, as per the recent quotes in The New Indian Express, RP Singh has opined that the team must groom the young left arm seamers. Kulwant Khejroliya was a particular mention that the veteran bowler suggested.

When asked to comment on his own bowling style, Singh mentioned that bowling with left hand came naturally to him. He added that the batsmen often find it tougher to play the left armers. “Bowling with the left hand is something that has to come naturally to a player. Left-handers are always useful as many batsmen find it difficult to play the left-right combination,’’ mentioned RP Singh.

He cited that the Australian team is lucky to have so many talented left arm quicks in their arsenal. There was Mitchell Johnson who spearheaded their attack for years. Now, Mitch Starc is the best bowler in the world cricket.

“If you see Australia, they have produced some quality left-arm seamers as they had natural ability. Mitchell Johnson was deadly and a delight to watch. At the moment Mitchell Starc is the best in the world. He is sharp, nippy and bowls the effective yorker. India will do well to get one,’’ remarked the veteran bowler.

Grooming Kulwant Khejroliya

Trying to cite reasons why the left arm bowlers find more success, RP noted that they get peculiar angles which are hard to negotiate for the batsmen. Hence, such tall left arm quicks are a rare specie and very tough to get.

“It’s the angles that the bowler gets to bowl. It’s difficult to pick the arc. And If the bowler is tall, then the bounce and length will be difficult to read. They are indeed a rare tribe,” feels RP Singh.

The Indian team team currently has very little to pick from. They have the likes of Jaydev Unadkat, Sreenath Arvind, Kulwant Khejroliya, and Barinder Sran of this ‘tribe’. While Unadkat, Arvind, and Sran have all been tried, Kulwant remains to be tested.

“I have not seen Kulwant. If he is the only left-arm seamer that we have, then there is nothing wrong in grooming him,” conceded Singh.