Indian coaches are good and we must promote them: Mohammad Azharuddin

Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin called for bowlers to be sincere with their injuries and report the same to the team management.

Talking exclusively to dna after presenting the awards at the 25th LIC Kalpesh Govind Koli Memorial Cricket Tournament at New Hind Sports Club in Matunga here on Sunday, Azhar said, "No doubt, there is a lot of cricket being played. The players really need to understand their bodies very well. They should take proper rest. If they are not up to it for a game or a series, they should opt out. There is nothing wrong because you want to play for a longer time."

One of the fittest cricketers in the world in his playing days, Azhar went on, "Mohammad Shami, for instance, has hardly played in two seasons and has injured his knee. It always plays on your mind when you are running in. If you are not fit, you should not be playing the game. If you do, you are doing disservice to the country. If you are injured, you must always tell the management that you are injured. There is no point in carrying on as it worsens the injury and makes things worse for the team."

The 52-year-old Hyderabadi, who played 99 Tests and 334 ODIs, was pleased with the current Indian team but was concerned with the bowling department.

"We have a very good side and should be able to do well. I think we need bowlers who are fit and who can get 20 wickets (in Tests). At the end of the days, the bowlers are going to win you matches. If they don't take 20 wickets, it will be very hard. We have bowlers with good ability but the consistency is not there."

For the inconsistent results, especially overseas, Azharuddin blamed the coaches. "They need to really put in a lot of thinking. I know they are putting in a lot of hard work. It is the coach's job also to tell the players. If you make the same mistakes in all the four or five Tests, there is something wrong with the coaches and the management also. You cannot commit the same mistakes.

"For instance, when Virat Kohli was caught behind in seven of his 10 innings in England last year. There was something seriously wrong. With so many coaches/players there, they ought to have corrected his technique immediately. They cannot let the batsmen or the bowlers make the same mistakes.

"In Australia, the bowlers made the same mistakes. They ran in fast and tried to bowl quick. There was no direction in their bowling. You cannot bowl quick all the time. Sometimes you have bowl well within yourself. Varun Aaron bowled good in spells. But we don't want bowlers who bowl well in spells. We need bowlers who are bowling consistently well."

Perhaps, India are lacking a bowling spearhead. Azhar said, "We have a new bowling attack. Zaheer (Khan) is injured all the time. These young players will do well with experience. You need a good bowling coach. You cannot let the same mistakes happen all the time. Anybody can be wise after a game or a tournament. But when the series is on, that is when they need to correct their mistakes then and there."

Speaking of coaches, Azharuddin, the only batsman in Test history to have scored a century in each of his first three Tests, was all for home-grown Indian coaches rather than those from overseas. "On the same lines, we can get some foreign players and play. But it doesn't work that way," he said. "Indian coaches are good. We have won matches with Indian coaches. We must promote our Indian players who can be coaches. The Board of Control for Cricket in India should look into it. There are so many players who have represented India and should be able to give their expertise. You should have a professional coach who has practical knowledge of the game. Anybody can be strong on theory. Players who have played over 40-50 Tests can be good at guiding the youngsters."

Azharuddin, wristy and elegant in his playing days, led India in 47 Tests. His record for leading the country in most matches has since been overtaken by Sourav Ganguly and then Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Azhar lauded Dhoni's captaincy while adding that it was too early to judge his successor in Tests, Kohli.

"Dhoni has been a good captain. He has done well," Azhar said. "He has won all the major tournaments. Statistically, he has done a very good job. But in the last couple of years, he has slipped somewhere. Every captain is different. You cannot compare Kohli with Dhoni. You can only judge Kohli when he does about 50-60 Test matches. It is very hard. What Dhoni has done is very good for the country."