India call-up pacers Shardul, Navdeep as South Africa fail to provide quality net bowlers

New Delhi, Jan 19: Team India is unhappy with the quality of net bowlers they are getting for practice in South Africa. The team management has, therefore, asked for two net bowlers to be flown over from home as soon as possible.

India tour of SA: Full Schedule

As per a Times of India report, India pacer Shardul Thakur and Delhi's Navdeep Saini have been asked to leave for South Africa on Saturday. Thakur is already a part of the Indian limited overs' squad that will play six ODIs and 3 T20Is against Proteas.

While the rest of the team will leave for South Africa after the conclusion of the third and final Test between the two sides in Johannesburg, Thakur will stay with the rest of the side.

"The team communicated to the selectors that they were not provided with the help of quality net bowlers in South Africa. Hence, the arrangement has been made after the match," a top BCCI official was quoted by the news daily as saying.

"There may be just one Test left but the team doesn't want to leave any stone unturned to better its performance," the source reasoned.

"The decision to send fresh net bowlers was mulled for a week. But the team management insisted on having its own bowlers. Thakur will stay over for the ODIs. As for Saini, his growth has been impressive and the selectors and the team management want to have a look at him in the nets," the BCCI official added further.

India's decision for net bowlers shows desperation in the Indian camp to improve their performance against hosts. Indian batsmen have so far have failed terribly in front of South Africa's pace battery.

The two pacers (Thakur and Saini) will reach Johannesburg on Sunday and the players will get just two days to practice with the two bowlers in the nets. So, it will be worth noticing how these two bowlers will help the batsmen prepare within a period of two days. The third Test match begins on January 24 (Wednesday).