India’s red-ball pipeline is getting a specialist push at the Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru, with the BCCI moving to bring former greats into short, focused camps for the next line of Test prospects. After tapping Zaheer Khan to work with young pacers, the board has now approached Harbhajan Singh for a dedicated camp for off-spinners, as reported by PTI.
The move is part of a broader effort to sharpen specific skills among a group of “targeted players” — cricketers identified as potential senior India prospects based on performances in age-group cricket, first-class matches and India A assignments, with some also having brief exposure to the senior side.
Zaheer is already in Bengaluru for a five-day fast-bowling camp, working with young seamers who are either close to national selection or have already spent time around the senior setup. The idea, understood to have come through COE head VVS Laxman’s outreach to former India teammates, is to create short, high-impact camps that can make India’s next batch of red-ball players more match-ready.
Specialist camps before IPL window
Harbhajan Singh is learnt to be working out dates for a four-to-five-day camp focused on off-spin bowling, a timely intervention in a system that continues to produce multi-format spinners but is now seeking more refined red-ball specialists. There is also a possibility of Anil Kumble being brought in for a separate wrist-spinners’ camp, which would further deepen the specialist mentoring structure.
A BCCI source familiar with the development said Laxman had approached Zaheer, Harbhajan and Kumble for such camps, calling it a welcome initiative in which India greats with long Test careers pass on their knowledge to the next generation.
The camps are expected to be held before the start of the IPL, since several of the identified players will soon have to link up with their franchises. The timing underlines the BCCI’s attempt to carve out a red-ball development window before white-ball commitments take over the domestic and franchise calendar.
The concept itself is not entirely new. At the erstwhile NCA, inviting former India stalwarts for specialised skill camps was a precedent, including veterans like Chandu Borde, Erapalli Prasanna and Syed Kirmani sharing their experience with young players through zonal academy structures.
Alongside the temporary specialist camps, the BCCI is also looking to fill permanent roles at the COE, including the pace bowling coach’s position following Troy Cooley’s departure.
