I'd love to be India's bowling coach: Venkatesh

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">MUMBAI: For someone who bowled the slower delivery with immense guile, Venkatesh Prasad speaks at a rapid pace. One almost wished he could bowl consistently at that speed too.<br /><br />But then Prasad was always known more for his accuracy than speed. Had he been persisted with his record of 96 wickets in 33 Tests and 196 in 161 ODIS for India would have looked better.Currently Prasad is busy with coaching assignments for the National Cricket Academy and junior teams. <br /><br />ToI caught up with him in Mumbai on Thursday. <br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Q. You are into coaching these days. </span><br /><br />A. Yes I’m the bowling coach of the National Cricket Academy (in Bangalore). I completed a Level 3 coaching course under Frank Tyson and an Asian Cricket Council High Performance coaching course. I recently coached the Under-17 Indian side for the Asia Cup. <br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Q. Training yourself for the Indian bowling coach? </span><br /><br />A. I’d love to be that. I feel I am a good candidate for the job. As a cricketer who has played at the highest level and experienced the ups and downs I can help the young bowlers. Coaching is more man-management than skills management and I am a good man manager. <br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Q. If you get the job what would be the first thing you’d do? </span><br /><br />A. Try not to change the natural action of the fast bowlers. I’d also immediately cut down on the bowling the youngsters do in the nets. Anil, Srinath and myself suffered from shoulder injuries from bowling endless overs in the nets needlessly. I don’t want Irfan, Zaheer, Balaji and others to suffer similarly. <br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Q. You enjoyed great success against Pakistan. With the Pakistan tour to India in February what would your advise be? </span><br /><br />A. (Gets agitated) I didn’t bowl well only against Pakistan. I have enjoyed success against Sri Lanka, South Africa and England too. The series against Pakistan will be a pressure series and our young bowlers will be tested mentally. My success on Indian pitches came by pitching the ball up and bowling wicket to wicket. That’s the advice I’d offer. <br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Q. What combination would you employ against Pakistan? </span><br /><br />A. Definitely not three spinners. It is deflating for a talented young fast bowlers to cool his heels in the dressing room. Turning tracks or not, two seamers are a must. <br /><br /></div> </div>