Kumble re-introduces the 'BUDDY SYSTEM" for training

Indian team coach Anil Kumble has started exceuting his plans for the upcoming West Indies tour. As per the reports, Kumble has already reintroduced a method tried and tested by Wright; the “buddy system”. Under this method, the players are grouped in teams of two; usually pairing a batsman with a bowler or a batsman with an all rounder and encouraging them to help out each other in specific departments so as to ensure a complete and all round development of all players. 

 

This tactic was first introduced by Wright before the 2001 series against Australia. A famous “buddy pair” to emerge out of this system was the indomitable pair of VVS Laxman and Zaheer Khan where the former became the latter's unofficial batting coach. Kumble has tried to establish something similar assigning partnerships like Shikhar Dhawan and Mohammad Shami, Virat Kohli and bowler Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Cheteshwar Pujara and Amit Mishra. Check Amit Mishra's take on Kumble as Coach.

According to Amit Mishra, who is paired with Cheteshwar Pujara, "My buddy is Pujara. Since he bowls leg-spin, he has been paired with me. He helps me with my batting, and I with his leg-spin. The idea is that whenever the need arises in a match, Pujara and other batsmen can chip in by bowling 7-8 overs. Similarly, I should be able to contribute with the bat,".