Only first-class grind can groom India U-19 pacers, says bowling coach Paras Mhambrey

Mumbai: Paras Mhambrey, the bowling coach of World Cup-winning India U-19 team believes the young inexperienced pacers need to grind it out at the first-class level in order to be battle ready for the tough challenges ahead.

"They (young pacers) are far away. Yes, they have done well at the Under-19 level, yes they have hit certain speeds levels. But if you look at the challenges at the first-class level, the quality of batting, it is going to be a while for them," 45-year-old Mhambrey said.

"They need to go through the first class grind. They will experience failures as well as successes and will eventually evaluate themselves. As a fast bowler, it is not just the ability to bowl fast, (but) also about understanding how to bowl, understanding your body, the conditions, the wickets."

Mhambrey said it is too early to predict whether the young fast bowlers are ready for higher-level cricket. Asked whether the boys were distracted by the IPL auction, Mhambrey said, "These boys are quite mature. The IPL auction was a challenging phase for us, but they showed maturity when they went on the field and after that.

"The IPL is a big tournament, everyone wants to play in such a tournament. It is not just about the money or the hype. They are aware that it is an opportunity to rub shoulders with the top bowlers and bastmen of the world, pick heads of the top coaches of the world," he added.

The Indian team that lifted the World Cup thrashing Australia had talented bowlers like Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi, who repeatedly clocked over 140 kmph. Bengal's Ishan Porel too impressed with his variety and the spin department was led by Anukul Roy with the likes of Shiva Singh. All of them played vital roles in the team's victory.

Mhambrey also said that along with pace it is important for fast bowlers to hit the right areas. "If you want to win games, you need someone who bowls accurately from both ends. You cannot have someone bowling 150-plus and leaking runs. It becomes difficult to control the game.

"So it is important to have accuracy. It is not just about pace, you have to hit the (right) lengths," the bowling coach said.