New Delhi: “Sir, yakeen nahi ho raha Cummins (Pat), Hazlewood (Josh) aur Starc (Mitchell) ke saath run-up mark kiye hain (I can’t believe I scored my run alongside Hazlewood and Starc),” Ashok Kumar recalled the first conversation he had with his batsman, Vasudev Prasad Singh, from Brisbane on July 14.Singh, 20, from Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district, and 18-year-old Abhishek Moond from Rajasthan’s Sikar district trained alongside Australia’s Test team for two weeks as part of the long-standing partnership between the MRF Pace Foundation and Cricket Australia.MRF Pace Foundation Program Manager and Head Coach M. Senthilnathan said watching the two youngsters during the first few days was an absolute delight.“They were like kids in a candy shop, pinching each other. They were overwhelmed for the first two days,” Senthilnathan told TimesofIndia.com from Brisbane.
Vasu hails from Bihar and Abhishek from Rajasthan. They come from the smallest towns in our country. To train with Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood is something they never imagined even in their wildest dreams.
M. Senthilnathan
“Vasu comes from Bihar and Abhishek from Rajasthan. They come from smaller towns in our country. To train with Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood is something they didn’t imagine even in their wildest dreams. But having said that, it was a big learning curve for them. They rubbed shoulders with two of the best in the world. They saw how they manage their net, how they manage the net and understand their most important form, how they manage the net bodies, which is very important for any fast bowler,” he added.The duo trained from July 13 to July 24 at Cricket Australia’s National Cricket Center (NCC) in Brisbane. They also attended training sessions involving the Australian men’s Test team at the Allan Border Field.“Having the opportunity to train with the Australian senior team was an incredible experience,” Moond told this website.“The whole environment is different. The bats are of the highest quality, so you have to be consistent and keep bowling in the right areas. I learned that I need to bowl the ball a bit fuller than my usual back-of-a-length.“The jump and movement were excellent, and the experience was great. Training with players of this caliber is a huge confidence booster. At my age, getting the chance to practice alongside cricketers I have watched since childhood is very special. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from them.”
Bihar’s Vasudev Prasad Singh in the nets at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane. (Cricket Australia)
Like Moond, Vasudev Prasad Singh believes the experience extends far beyond simply sharing the nets with Australia’s Test stars. For him, the opportunity is to learn the finer aspects of fast bowling in conditions that reward pace and discipline.“The major advantage of this tour is the opportunity to train with the Australian senior team. We will learn a lot from them. The environment here is excellent, and the conditions are ideal for fast bowling,” said Vasudev Prasad Singh.
For someone who bowled most of his formative years on matting wickets, this was an experience he will never forget.
Ashok Kumar | Coach Vasudev Prasad Singh
“We are able to bowl long spells, which helps us improve our skills. Exposure like this is extremely important for a cricketer. Bowling to world-class batsmen in favorable conditions teaches you where to bowl, how to plan your spells and how to set the field.”Ashok Kumar, a former cricketer from Bihar who worked with Sakib Hussain and Mohammad Izhar, two other promising pacers from the state, shared an interesting story about his neighbourhood.
Abhishek Moond (centre) with Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc during the training session at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane. (Cricket Australia)
“For someone who spent most of his formative years on matting wickets, this was an experience he will never forget. Vasu has represented Bihar at the Under-19 and Under-23 levels and has all the attributes to play for India. He has a very good outswing. It is still raw, but it will be a ready product in a couple of years,” said Ashok.Senthilnathan echoed Kumar’s sentiments.“They’re good guys. Their work ethic is excellent. They train hard. They’re still raw, but they’ll only get better from there,” he said.
Emerging pacers Abhishek Moond and Vasudev Prasad Singh visited Australia alongside former Indian fast bowler Tinu Yohannan and MRF Pace Foundation Program Manager and Head Coach M. Senthilnathan for a two-week high performance programme. (Cricket Australia)
The visit is part of a high-performance exchange program that has connected Indian and Australian cricket for more than three decades, making it one of the sport’s longest-running international development partnerships.The MRF Pace Foundation and Cricket Australia have worked together since 1992, building on Australian legend Dennis Lillee’s association with the Foundation after its establishment in Chennai in 1987.
Vasudev Prasad Singh (centre) with Australian pacers Josh Hazlewood (left) and Mitchell Starc (right). (Cricket Australia)
The program gives young Indian cricketers exposure to Australian conditions and training methods, while Australian players hone their skills in subcontinental conditions. The partnership helped train many fast bowlers. Australian greats Glenn McGrath, Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee have all been associated with the Foundation, while Indian stars such as Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan are among those who have benefited from its development pathway.In the future, Senthilnathan believes that the time in Brisbane will be a defining chapter in the development of the youth.
Vasudev Prasad Singh and Abhishek Moond trained alongside Australia’s Test team for two weeks as part of the long-standing partnership between the MRF Pace Foundation and Cricket Australia. (Cricket Australia)
“We have had a long association with Cricket Australia and it has helped many Indian pacers over the years. We have seen what Prafull Hinje and Sakib Hussain have done after their exposure here. Prafull spent three weeks training in Brisbane and came back a different bowler. Experiences like these accelerate growth. Vasu and Abhishek still have the raw attitude, but the long work on them. will have an impact in the years to come,” he said.