Learning in the fast lane

While the entire cricketing world was taken aback by the speed the Indian fast bowlers generated throughout the team's victorious ICC U-19 World Cup campaign in New Zealand, it was nothing new for the boys themselves.

It wasn't the first time that Kamlesh Nagarkoti knew he had the ability to bowl over 140kmph, even touching the 150kmph mark. The 18-year-old realised he had express speed at his disposal during India's tour to England last year, before fully unleashing himself in the recently-concluded mega event.

The Rajasthan-born Nagarkoti, along with Shivam Mavi and Ishan Porel, troubled the opposition batsmen with some raw fast bowling, an area which was one of the brightest features of India's World Cup triumph.

"You cannot say I did not have an idea that I could bowl with that pace and cross 145kmph regularly. It was the second instance where my pace was measured after the England series. I loved bowling at that pace," Nagarkoti said after the team returned home on Monday.

The youngster may not have a bulk of wickets to show but the pace he generated was instrumental in helping his fast bowling colleagues dismiss batsmen at the other end.

"I have always been a seamer from the beginning, someone who always wanted to bowl fast. I worked on my speed, how to train and what diet to take as a fast bowler," Nagarkoti said.

And it was just about Nagarkoti. The Indian seamers hunted in packs, with no specific role being assigned to a particular bowler.

If Nagarkoti would go for wickets, Mavi would aim for dots. If Nagarkoti was about scarring batsmen with his pace, Mavi was about accuracy to go with speed. The roles could be reversed too.

"Kamlesh and I would share the responsibility with our own set of plans. For example, if he goes for wickets, I will bowl dots or vice-versa," Mavi said.

"I bowled like how I normally bowl. (Bowling coach) Paras (Mhambrey) sir asked us to concentrate on accuracy more and to bowl pace with control," he added.

Asked if he knew about his speed guns clocking 145kmph, Mavi said, "I wasn't surprised with the pace I was bowling because three years ago, I was bowling in excess of 135kmph. You know you are bowling at good pace while bowling in the nets," he added.

While Nagarkoti and Mavi hogged the majority of the spotlight, lanky Bengal bowler Ishan Porel too made his presence felt with a four-wicket haul in the crucial semifinal against Pakistan in Christchurch.

"Even I can bowl with good pace, but I suffered an injury in my foot in the opener against Australia. It was a difficult phase, where I got emotional and I thought that it was the end of my World Cup journey. Luckily, I made a comeback. Everybody supported me in my comeback," said an emotional Porel, who hails from a kabaddi family.

India U-19 bowling coach Mhambrey, a former India fast bowler, was impressed with his pacers but wants them to grind it out in domestic cricket.

"They are a little far away (from top level). Yes, they have done well at the U-19 level. Yes, they have hit certain speeds levels. If you look at the challenges at the first-class level, the quality of batting ... it's going to be a while for them.

"They need to go through the first-class grind. They'll experience failures and success and they'll eventually evaluate themselves, which is important as a fast bowler," Mhambrey said.

"It's not just the ability to bowl fast. It is also about understanding how to bowl, understanding your body, the conditions, the wicket. I think it's too early for me to say they are ready," he added.

Mhambrey has asked the young seamers not to get carried away with pace.

"If you have the pace, you have to focus on that. There's no doubt about it. Also, you cannot get carried away with pace. You have to hit the right lengths. If you want to win a game, you need someone who bowls accurately from both ends.

"You cannot have someone bowling 150-plus and leaking runs. It becomes difficult to control the game. So, it's important to have accuracy too and not just pace," he said.

India's pacers in U-19 WC

Kamlesh Nagarkoti (Right-arm fast bowler)

Mat: 6, Wkts: 9 BBI: 3/18 Econ: 3.48 4w: 0
Brought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 3.2cr in IPL auction

Shivam Mavi (Right-arm fast bowler)

Mat: 6, Wkts: 9, BBI: 3/45 Econ: 3.91 4w: 0
Brought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 3cr in IPL auction

Ishan Porel (Right-arm fast bowler)

Mat: 4, Wkts: 6 BBI: 4/17 Econ: 3.56 4w: 1
Unsold in IPL auction

Arshdeep Singh (Left-arm medium-pacer)

Mat: 2, Wkts: 3 BBI: 2/10 Econ: 2.00 4w: 0
Not in IPL auction