Pakistani pace bowler Sarfraz Nawaz has urged Pakistani pace bowlers to use the crease when the wicket does not have anything to offer.
Pakistan coach Javed Miandad has recommended Nawaz's name to the PCB for the post of bowling coach.
Nawaz told rediff.com that the Pakistani bowlers were not using the crease at all. "Shabbir Ahmed is the chief culprit. He bowls from close to the stumps and does not vary the line when nothing is happening. They must go wide of the crease, bowl from the middle of the crease and keep moving the ball in," he said.
He said the inexperienced Ahmed was not getting proper guidance.
He was surprised that the bowlers made the same mistakes through the Test match in Multan.
"In one-dayers you cannot come back but in Tests you can make amends by altering line and length from session to session," he said.
He advised Shoaib Akhtar to have a different strategy for Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar.
"They should be bowled incutters, which start outside the off stump and end on the off stump. Both these batsmen leave a gap between their bat and pad when playing these deliveries. But the margin for error is thin and these bowlers should not pitch balls that end on the middle or leg stump. With this line, Sehwag and Tendulkar will not be able to score freely."
Unlike other batsmen Sehwag and Tendulkar read the ball out of the hand and are ready with their shots early. Other batsmen read the ball in the air and that gives them less time to play their shots.
Rahul Dravid should be bowled deliveries that swing in from wide of the crease since he likes to drive and is a shaky starter. For V V S Laxman, he suggested a short-of-good length delivery, moving in and hitting his pads for LBW chances.
Nawaz praised the Indian bowlers saying that the Pakistanis should probably be learning a lesson or two from Irfan Pathan and L Balaji.
"Pathan is leagues ahead of everyone else I have seen on this tour. He will lead India in the future. His finish is good and so is his action. He should make sure that he does not change anything about his bowling," he said.
He said that the only difference he sees between Pathan and Pakistani great Wasim Akram is physique and height.
"Akram had more advantage with his broad shoulders but otherwise they both are quite similar. Pathan could be the next Akram," he said.
He said that Zaheer Khan would struggle through his career because of the jump in his last stride.
"His jump is too high. He stands in the air and when he comes down the entire momentum is lost. Also he lands on both feet and the jerk that he gives his body will harm his back and groin in the long run. Zaheer should jump forward instead of jumping up."
Ashish Nehra, he said, needs to get stronger and develop his upper body muscles. "He should also keep his chest up in the final stride to add extra force to his deliveries."
For L Balaji, Nawaz suggests a high action and straightening the head, which leans forward. "If he works on his action, his pace will also increase and he will pick more wickets. He runs in too straight. If he uses the crease more, he will not only be a yard faster through the air but also be a much more dangerous bowler."
