Balaji would have blossomed into a great bowler: Robin

Robin admitted Jasprit Bumrah was a welcome addition to the Indian team. However, he observed Tamil Nadu’s Laxmipathy Balaji would have blossomed if “he had not been hit by an injury.” 

Robin Singh was commenting on the Indian fast bowlers at a bowling clinic organised by MoneyGram, the official money transfer partner of the 2016 World T20 Championship. The clinic will select the four fastest bowlers from 50 cities and give tickets for the India-New Zealand match in the World T20 competition apart from cash prizes. 

According to Robin Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is India’s best captain ever whether in Tests, One-day Internationals or T20 internationals. The 53-year old former Indian international picked Dhoni as the country’s best captain “because he has taken the team to a different level in all formats.” 

The former Indian all-rounder, who played only one Test and more than 100 One-Day Internationals, advised the youngsters to try and play the longer format. “If you play only the shorter formats, you don’t last,” he said. But if you are a bowler like Michael Holding or Jeff Thomson, you can play any format. “A fast bowler is always a fast bowler,” he said and added that there is a growing need to prepare tracks in India that assist the fast bowlers.

Robin, who coached different Indian and international teams, said it was a bigger task training the smaller teams because they lack in skills and “they often don’t get the best facilities.” Robin has coached India Under-19 and the senior team (fielding coach) apart from coaching various league teams in India (Mumbai Indians), Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, Hong Kong and the United States. 

The former international agreed India is a good fielding unit now. He felt if the fielders could hit the stumps more regularly, the team’s fortunes would change dramatically.