Srinath stresses need for a pace battery
Javagal Srinath said at a panel during the Events and Entertainment Management Association conclave in Chennai on Saturday (August 8, 2026) that India needs a strong pace battery to share workload and reduce injuries. He cited the recent run of injuries to fast bowlers as a concern and urged building a pack of quicks rather than relying on a lone spearhead.
During his playing days Srinath often carried the pace burden alone and said that lack of support from the other end made him ineffective at times. He recalled that India’s fast bowling fortunes have improved since then but noted persistent injury issues among pacers. The former Karnataka quick, nicknamed the Mysore Express in his playing career, said India is looking to build the next core of speedsters and must ensure the workload is shared.
Srinath argued that fast bowling functions best as a group and outlined the advantages of sharing overs. “I always felt that fast bowling is about a group of bowlers together. It is about conservation of energy, and you will be able to build a good team. But if you are all alone, you will bowl 16-17 overs and become ineffective. So if you have three-four good quicks, your team is always effective, and the striking ability is far better,” said Srinath at a panel discussion during the Events and Entertainment Management Association conclave here on Saturday.
He emphasised the link between regular match practice and injury prevention when managing pacers’ workloads. “If you don’t bowl enough and all of a sudden if you are bowling the third spell, that is around 3.30 p.m., you end up pulling a muscle or probably tearing your ligament or hamstring or whatever. So it is important that you play enough, which means good 1000-1600 overs a year that will keep you in good shape,” he said.
Srinath reflected on the team’s recovery after the match-fixing scandal and praised leadership within the side during that period. He said he was a key part of the national side’s upward trajectory in the new millennium after the scandal and credited collective resolve and leadership for restoring the team’s image. “Post the match-fixing scandal, a lot of things came good to us. I think there was a bit of a resoluteness in every player to really put that image back and prove to the world that cricket was clean. Every individual showed leadership. Then the team started winning not only in India, but also abroad,” said Srinath.
The 56-year-old is currently an ICC Match Referee and has officiated in more than 500 games.