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Prasad questions Munaf's commitment
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August 29, 2007 22:03 IST

With India's bowling falling to pieces in the ongoing one-day international series against England [Images], bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad on Wednesday said he is not happy with Munaf Patel's [Images] form and felt the fast bowler is not doing his job with enough intensity.

Prasad also said that he will be giving a proposal to the BCCI that the selectors should take him into confidence before picking any bowler.

"I'm pretty happy [with his fitness]," said Prasad.

"But I need to know from the bowler and know how he's bowling. I have been travelling and there needs to be somebody else to make sure that he is bowling with the same intensity that he was bowling earlier while playing for the country," he said, putting a question mark on the bowler's commitment.

Munaf, who missed the Test series, because of a back strain, was included in the team for the one-day series at the expense of S Sreesanth [Images].

However, he has been struggling with his form and rhythm.

While he wasn't played in the first game at Southampton, he didn't bowl his full quota in Bristol, where he went for 70 runs off his 8 overs, or in Birmingham where he bowled just five overs for 37 runs.

As if his unimpressive bowling wasn't enough, his fielding continues to be a huge embarrassment.

Prasad demanded that the national selectors should also be taking him into confidence before picking the bowlers for any series.

"Munaf has not played much cricket but what's important is that the selectors need to talk to me on how a bowler is bowling," he said.

"It's important to have a good communication and be proactive in terms of fast bowling. When I am handling the fast bowling, it's important they have a talk with me on how one is doing and how one needs to be going about it. It's a proposal I'm giving to the board," Prasad said.

Munaf has been an enigma of late. He believed he was unfit right through the tour of South Africa early this year when the team management felt he was fit, and that he had a mental block. Having comeback to the side, he has not looked anywhere near his best.

The bowling coach also lamented the fact that India's poor fielding hasn't really helped his bowlers who have been taken to the cleaners in every game.

On a more positive note, he said that his pacers are trying some variations such as bowling a slower one or even a yorker, especially in the death overs.

"We're talking about that. The yorker percentage has been pretty good but change of pace is something we're working on. We don't normally practice slower balls at the nets but it's something we need to. We also need to make sure they are managed well between those matches. They need to be given time for rest and recovery," he said.



  • India in the United Kingdom 2007
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