'What a bowler thinks and what he actually does are different things' - Bharat Arun

We speak to the former India allrounder and, until recently, the national team's bowling coach - Bharat Arun. Arun gives us a lesson in the craft of bowling, guiding us through what a coach looks for and how he suggests minor adjustments. He assesses Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, R Ashwin, and Axar Patel and explains their strengths and evolution. Note: War Minus The Shooting by Mike Marqusee, recently republished by 81allout, is now available on Amazon.com, Amazon.in, Flipkart Talking Points: Arun's introduction to the game and the allure of quick bowling The myths surrounding fast bowling and training in the 1980s The reason many Indian bowlers weren't able to build on their early successes The early Bumrah - and what Arun thought of his action and technique R Ashwin's willingness to move out of his comfort zone The changes a bowler can look to make - in the run-up and load-up Mohammad Siraj's control in spite of his relentless aggression Managing a bowler's workload - and finding the optimal number of overs to train Bhuvaneshwar Kumar working on his fitness and adding pace to his swing Assessing India's losses in South Africa in 2018 and New Zealand in 2020 India's magnificent tour to West Indies in 2019 - when Sir Viv was wowed The Lord's Test of 2021 - when England were undone in less than 52 overs Axar's unique angle of delivery - and his ability to bowl straight on a turner Participants: Bharat Arun  Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Related: 'I cannot tell a bowler what to do or not do. I need to help them understand their own rhythm' - Bharat Arun interview - Karthik Krishnaswamy - The Cricket Monthly Bharat Arun on India's pace revolution, the next Test captain, and the importance of Ashwin - Ayan Acharya - Sportstar The paaji effect - R Ashwin interviews Bharat Arun - YouTube Bharat Arun's report card on Shami, Bumrah, Ashwin, Bhuvi, Jadeja - Sriram Veera - Indian Express Chennai Super King - R Ashwin profile - Karthik Krishnaswamy - The Cricket Monthly *