Cricket

Zaheer Khan and Lakshmipathy Balaji Emerge as Contenders for Team India Bowling Coach RoleFormer Indian fast bowlers Zaheer Khan and Lakshmipathy Balaji have emerged as potential candidates for the bowling coach position in Team India's coaching staff under new head coach Gautam Gambhir. According to sources, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering their names to replace Paras Mhambrey, whose tenure has reportedly ended.Zaheer Khan, widely regarded as one of India's greatest left-arm pacers, boasts an impressive record of 311 Test wickets in 92 matches and a total of 610 scalps in 309 international matches across all formats. His experience and expertise would be invaluable to the Indian bowling unit.Lakshmipathy Balaji, on the other hand, has represented India in eight Test matches, claiming 27 wickets at an average of 37.18. He has also taken 34 wickets in 30 ODIs. While his international experience is limited compared to Zaheer, Balaji's knowledge of Indian conditions and his ability to mentor young bowlers could make him a suitable candidate.The appointment of a new bowling coach is part of a broader overhaul of the Indian team's support staff following the departure of Rahul Dravid as head coach. Gambhir, a former India opener and winner of both T20 and ODI World Cups, was named as Dravid's successor on Tuesday.Gambhir, who also served as the team mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League 2024, has a proven track record of success in coaching. Under his guidance, KKR secured their third IPL trophy this season. He was also captain of the KKR team that won the IPL in 2012 and 2014.The BCCI is expected to make a decision on the bowling coach position soon. The appointment of Zaheer Khan or Lakshmipathy Balaji would be a significant step in shaping the future of Indian cricket.

Former Indian fast bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji has expressed his belief that Hardik Pandya will need time to establish himself as the Mumbai Indians skipper after taking over from Rohit Sharma ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL).Balaji acknowledged that Hardik's appointment has been met with mixed reactions, but he believes the all-rounder has the potential to handle the responsibility. However, he cautioned that if the team struggles, Hardik could face significant challenges."It's not something you see normally," Balaji said. "But in a professional field, you have to accept that one side is emotional and one side is something very big. When you come to replace a personality like Rohit Sharma, who is already a phenomenal achiever when it comes to Mumbai Indians, definitely it will take some time."Balaji emphasized the importance of Hardik gaining the trust of his teammates and adapting to his new role. He also noted that the team's performance will play a crucial role in shaping the perception of Hardik's captaincy."For Hardik to win the whole dressing room is very important as a player and as a human," Balaji said. "When they start winning, the emotions will be different. If they start losing, then you have problems to face."Meanwhile, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has criticized Hardik's captaincy after Mumbai Indians' loss to Gujarat Titans in their IPL 2024 opener. Pathan believes Hardik made several mistakes, including opening the bowling himself and conceding 20 runs in the first over."He should have gone with an experienced asset like Jasprit Bumrah instead," Pathan said.