Five India A bowlers to help senior team in net sessions ahead of Asia Cup

Three Indian pacers, Avesh Khan from Madhya Pradesh, Siddharth Kaul of Punjab and Karnataka's M Prasidh Krishna have been sent to Dubai for the net sessions, along with leg-spinner Mayank Markande and left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem. Excluding Avesh Khan, rest of the four players had played in the Quadrangular series for India A and B teams, which also had Australia A and South Africa A playing in it. Kaul has also represented India as a part of the senior team in the limited overs on the recently-concluded UK tour.

The players, however, will be sent back to India on time, as the players have to represent their respective teams in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which will be starting on September 19.

“Not everywhere do you get quality net bowlers and it becomes a problem for the senior team during practice sessions. With back to back games, you don’t expect a Bhuvneshwar Kumar or a Jasprit Bumrah to bowl flat out at the nets. Also the young academy bowlers at times can’t provide quality practice. Hence we have got some of our next line of bowlers,” a senior BCCI official told PTI Friday.

“This is a process that proves to be mutually beneficial for the team. While senior batsmen get quality practice, someone like a Mayank Markande can learn a lot by bowling at the India nets. Also the senior players and the coaches can only keep a tab on the talent pool,” he added.

Sending India A players for the net sessions in order to assist the senior team had started before the tour of South Africa, when players like Avesh and Basil Thampi were sent for helping out the main team.