Credit: BCCI
During the England tour which included five test series, the inclusion of pacers is taken into account post the analysis of injuries and workload management. Star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah’s sitting out from the Edgbaston test and his reported exclusion from the fifth Test is considered due to the workload management, amid the ongoing issue that he is having with his back. Meanwhile, Akash Deep also missed the previous test at Manchester due a groin niggle. These setbacks in the form of injuries to the fast bowlers of the Indian team has got the team management and BCCI thinking.
In a bold move to bolster India’s fast-bowling arsenal for future international challenges, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly initiated a specialized training camp at its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. A report by the Times of India claimed that the camp announced on July 30, 2025, targets six to seven promising pacers, handpicked by the Ajit Agarkar led senior men’s selection committee, to revamp India’s pace line-up. Reportedly, the invited players include Khaleel Ahmed, Tushar Deshpande, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Raj Bawa, Yudhvir Singh, and Anshul Kamboj, all of whom have shown promise in domestic cricket or the IPL. Among these bowlers, Anshul Kamboj made his international Test debut against England in the fourth test.
The camp will reportedly start from August 1, 2025 under supervision of Morne Morkel
The camp which is reported to start at CoE on August 1, 2025, will run for three weeks under the supervision of bowling coach Morne Morkel and specialists from the CoE’s Sports Science and Medicine team. This strategic intervention comes amid concerns over injuries to key fast bowlers and the need to build depth for upcoming tournaments, including the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup and the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The camp aims to groom the next generation of fast bowlers to complement stalwarts like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, ensuring India remains a dominant force in all formats.
The report claims that a source close to the selection committee said, “The goal is to create a robust pipeline of fast bowlers who can consistently hit 140 kmph-plus and handle the demands of Test cricket, ODIs, and T20s.” The camp will reportedly also involve simulated match scenarios to test the bowlers’ ability to perform under pressure, a critical factor after India’s back-to-back series losses against New Zealand and Australia in 2024.
