The individual-centric "rolling camp" for Indian cricketers, ahead of next month's tri-series in Malaysia, commenced in Bangalore on Wednesday, with coach Greg Chappell preparing the players to face "tall" bowlers.
A bowling machine has been installed at the Karnataka State Cricket Association (B) ground and the former Australia captain made no secret of his intention to see that the players face tall fast bowlers better, though he did not name the pacers he had on his mind.
Asked if there would be "innovative measures" at the camp, Chappell pointed to putting in place a bowling machine on the ground.
There are certain teams around the world that have got tall fast bowlers and "we have got to try and simulate as much as possible... the sort of teams we expect to see in the next few months in various tournaments," he said.
The tri-series, which also involves Australia and the West Indies, will be followed by the Champions Trophy at home before the team proceeds on a full-fledged South African tour.
Chappell said the "rolling camp" is aimed at addressing the individual needs of players.
Noting that while the two camps prior to the (aborted) tri-series in Sri Lanka was about leadership and team development and the group itself, the current one is more about developing individual players.
"So, it's looking at their personal needs ... looking at how by making them better we can help make the team better," he said, adding, "we will talk about the particular needs ... what areas we think they need to work and what areas they think they need to work. That's what we are going to work on in the next few days."
Chappell also said this camp was also an attempt to give the players as much variety as possible. "If we are doing the same thing day in and day out, we are not probably going to go forward very much as a group nor as individuals."
Some part-time bowlers need to develop their batting, and efforts would be made in this direction at the camp, he said.
Asked about the yardstick for putting players in three groups and senior players slated to take part in the last phase, Chappell said nothing should be read into it.
Who is in which camp depends on their availability, he said.
Some of the senior players have commitments with functions in Mumbai (clashing with dates of the first two phases of the camp).
Asked if there are any plans for Sachin Tendulkar, Chappell said: "There will be some specific things. But they won't be different from what he has done in the past ... they won't be very different from what most of the guys will be doing."
Asked if Tendulkar is fit, Chappell said: "He (Tendulkar) is fit to play. That's the important thing."
On Anil Kumble, who cut short his Surrey county stint and returned home earlier this month after being diagnosed with tendonitis in his right shoulder, Chappell said the ace spinner needs some rehabilitation but he's much improved.
"For the Malaysia tri-series, I don't expect him to be considered for selection. We would expect him to be fit very soon. So, it's not a long term problem as I understand it."
Meanwhile, the first set of five players -- Vice-captain Virender Sehwag, replacing Ramesh Powar who could not make it due to personal reasons, Ajit Agarkar, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif and Irfan Pathan began training in Bangalore.
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