Mohit Sharma is learning how to bowl according to the match situation: Andy Bichel

Mohit Sharma

Andy Bichel, the former Australian fast bowler and the current bowling coach of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has said that Indian pacer Mohit Sharma has an extremely good work ethic and is a real pleasure to work with from a coach’s perspective.

“I have been with Mohit for four IPL seasons, he used to really back himself and that’s the part we liked about him initially. He is a top bloke and you want him in your team. He is a hard worker, never late for anything. He is always the first there, he is always working on his batting, always working on his fielding, he is a real delight to have around in the group. He is a coach’s delight, he is tough guy,” Bichel said in an interview to The Indian Express.

The 44-year-old added that the Haryana pacer has four deliveries in his armoury and is now learning the art of knowing which delivery to bowl when, based on the state of the game.

“I have worked with Mohit (Sharma) a lot, I pretty much found Mohit. See his skills have come up big time. I mean the short ball, good length ball, slower ball, yorker, there are four. When to use them is an important part and he is developing that side of his game. Given the conditions he has a good bouncer. He is a bit smaller and he skids on and these conditions really work for him.

“I say to him in India too, even in the IPL, he has to use the bouncer even though it is flat. It is all about execution and where the ball is getting delivered. If it is chest high then it is no good. If it is too high it is no good. It has to be on the money. And that is the part he has learned. Probably, I should see him longer, but I see him only for 12 to 13 weeks a year,” he continued.

“Raina's time in Test Cricket will come”

Talking about his India and CSK all-rounder Suresh Raina, the former cricketer said that the 28-year-old might have had a better time during the Tests in Australia had he been selected in the playing eleven at the beginning of the series and felt there were few players in the world who would match up to him in limited-overs cricket.

“When he (Raina) came in for the Sydney Test, the series was done. It was a hard environment to come in. India were already down on their energy, he tries to come up with the goods but ends up with a pair. It was a real test for him coming late in the series. I think he would have loved to start from the first Test. That way you get a real feel of things, but that didn’t happen,” the bowling coach said.

“He is an amazing T20 player and he is a fantastic 50-over cricketer in terms of the way he hits the ball, where he hits the ball and the way he can really win games all alone. Not many people can do that, so if a guy is that good, he can certainly play Test cricket. It is probably how he is used in that role.

“So how many Tests has he played? 17 or 18? Steve Waugh took 26 Tests before he got his 100, Adam Gilchrist made his debut (century) at 29, Hussey was 31, so look he has got plenty of time. He didn’t get opportunities and here we are talking about the short ball. If he had been playing Test matches in India he wouldn’t be having too much of a problem,” he concluded.