Fast bowlers are born; they are not made.
Australian pace guru Dennis Lillee couldn't have made a far more profound statement.
Asked by a reporter why India hasn't been able to produce quickies like Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar or Australia's Brett Lee, Lillee remarked: "We are born to bowl fast."
He contended that a coach can do little to make a bowler bowl fast. One needed to have "inherent qualities" and "muscular efficiency" to bowl fast. "If you haven't that, you never will (bowl fast)."
But Lillee hastened to add: "Pace isn't everything."
Lee wasn't able to get a place in the team, because three other bowlers already in are bowling fast-medium beautifully, doing "something with the ball", he said.
Lillee, who interacted with fast bowlers in the week-long pre-season camp for them at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore, said India is lucky to get Chappell as coach.
Describing the 56-year-old former Australia captain as one of the greatest batsmen and fielders, who also bowled medium pace, he said, "Not many can boast of all these attributes."
To a question, Chappell said if one looked at history, a champion all-rounder was produced only once in ten years. They are hard to find. But the current Indian team has 2-3 players who are very good batsmen who can bowl reasonably well and vice-versa. They would be encouraged to perform better, the coach said.
