CHENNAI: Former Australian fast bowling great Glenn McGrath believed that fast bowlers will play a key role in this season of the Indian Premier League which begins on Saturday. The IPL is held weeks after India successfully defended their T20 World Cup title in Ahmedabad. "IPL is a quality tournament and as usual must be exciting. Although it could be played on surfaces which are batter friendly, fast bowlers will call the shots. You need them to open the attack with the new ball and then at the death. So I feel every team will have one or two guys who can open and bowl at the death," he told this daily during his visit to the MRF Pace Foundation, where he is the Director of Coaching.
McGrath believes that bowlers who missed out on opportunities in the T20 World Cup will be keen to show their abilities. "For guys who did not get an opportunity to play or play enough in the world cup, they will be looking forward to the IPL, they will be eager to prove a point," he said.
Mohammed Siraj, McGrath feels, will be a bowler that will be handy for his side, the Gujarat Titans. "Siraj would be raring to go in the IPL. He is a quality bowler, who likes to be on your face. He is a hard working bowler and should be handy for his side in the IPL. This is one tournament where fast bowlers will get a lot of opportunities. Plus, the impact player rule too will see many fast bowlers grab that spot as teams will go for specialists, rather than all-rounders," he explained.
McGrath felt that overseas bowlers like Lungi Ngidi, Matt Henry, Alzarri Joseph and Trent Boult will be playing key roles for their teams. "They have amazing ability to bowl fast and extract bounce. Plus they have the ability to bowl with the new ball and at the death. Pat (Cummins) and Josh (Hazlewood) were injured and did not play the T20 World Cup. I do not know their status (fitness), but when they get to play I am sure they will be effective and would be a delight to watch, and so would Mitchell Starc," McGrath added.
McGrath has a word of praise for Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya who likes to be involved totally in the game. "Hardik, I think he's a quality player, an all-rounder who loves the attention. He wants to be the guy that wins, hits the sixes, so sometimes players like that you just have to let them go and be themselves," he said, adding that Jasprit Bumrah and Hazlewood are the two best bowlers in the world.
'Domestic pacers keen to perform'
Chief coach of the MRF Pace Foundation and former Tamil Nadu player M Senthilnathan felt that the quality of Indian fast bowlers in various teams will have a bearing on the result in many games.
Most of the domestic players, including fast bowlers in the IPL have trained at the foundation at some point of their career.
"All our domestic fast bowlers will be keen to perform. They will be well aware of the conditions and wickets as it is played in the summer. It will also be easy for them to adapt. In an IPL team, balance is very important and better the quality of domestic players, better the chances of teams making to the playoffs," said Senthilnathan.
T Natarajan from Tamil Nadu, who is part of Delhi Capitals, will be hoping to be given a run of games. "Natarajan is a seasoned campaigner. He has the experience and will easily adapt. He is a quality bowler whose strength lies in varying the pace. He likes challenges and thus he should come good," he opined.