In his latest blog for Pakpassion, Ian Pont talks about what he aims to achieve during his time at the Karnataka Institute Of Cricket.

by Ian Pont (28th September 2013)

On October 9th, I fly out to Bangalore for a week at the invitation of the Karnataka Institute Of Cricket. KIOC is run by a Level 3 coach, Irfan Sait, a wonderful man who has dedicated his whole life to coaching young players from across the state and beyond. 

As we know, India is an enigma when it comes to pace bowling. Despite almost 30 years of the MRF pace academy and millions of dollars available to spend on cricket from sponsors, India has never produced a Shoaib Akhtar, Wasim Akram or Waqar Younis - or any of the wonderful bowlers that litter Pakistan's golden history when it comes to pace bowling. And this fundamental flaw and solution, is something I hope to discover.

My own view is that Indian coaches rarely, if ever, talk about pace or encourage it. Having spent time working in India I have come across this for myself. It is depressing if you work with fast bowlers to discover that the advice they have been given is to slow down and bowl a line and length. 

So the trip to Bangalore is something of a mission.

That mission is to firstly discover whether Indian youngsters actually have a passion for pace. On other trips I have seen a glimmer of fire in the belly of some, but it is not encouraged or developed. And the second part is to see whether a centre for speed bowling can be established to actually make a difference for all.

I find that the mental approach to fast bowling isn't ideal in many countries. This is what stops a bowler developing. If a coach doesn't like you trying to be a fast bowler, then how do you continue as a student? This is the real issue at stake for many cricket centres. They are often coached by those who have little clue about how to develop fast bowling in the first place. In these circumstances, pace bowlers are 'discovered' or 'found'. It is almost by accident that a fast bowler comes through.

The truth is you can develop pace bowlers ANYWHERE in the world with the right coaching, approach and understanding of how to nurture their talent. No single country has a premium of pace and no single country is devoid of it. To create a centre for speed that is a breeding ground for express bowlers, dedicated to that role, would be extremely exciting.

It takes vision, passion and people willing to make it happen with an understanding of what is required. My trip to Bangalore is a step towards identifying whether THAT place has what it takes to host such an offering.

To be a success, you don't go to a hotbed and try to set up an academy, you set up an academy and make it a hotbed.

I am looking forward to my week at KIOC. It's a starting point and I will know a little bit more by the time I come back.

  Discuss!