Two promising Indian fast bowlers will have the opportunity to train alongside Australia’s Test squad next week as part of the long-running partnership between the MRF Pace Foundation and Cricket Australia.
The pair are among a four-member MRF Pace Foundation delegation currently undertaking a two-week high-performance program at Cricket Australia’s National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Brisbane from July 13-24.
Emerging pacers Abhishek Moond and Vasudev Prasad Singh are visiting Australia alongside former India fast bowler Tinu Yohannan and MRF Pace Foundation Program Manager and Head Coach M. Senthilnathan. During their stay, the group will interact with Cricket Australia’s high-performance programs and attend training sessions involving the Australian men’s Test squad at Allan Border Field.
The visit forms part of a development exchange program that has linked Indian and Australian cricket for more than three decades and remains one of the sport’s most successful international high-performance partnerships.
The relationship between the MRF Pace Foundation and Cricket Australia dates back to 1992, building on a connection established through Australian pace-bowling legend Dennis Lillee, who played a key role in the Foundation’s development after its establishment in Chennai in 1987.
Over the years, the partnership has provided young Indian cricketers with the opportunity to experience Australian conditions and training methods while allowing Australian players to develop their skills in the challenging subcontinental environment.
While originally centered around fast-bowling development, the program has evolved into a broader high-performance exchange. In recent years, Australian batters, spinners and wicketkeepers have regularly travelled to Chennai to sharpen their skills against quality spin and adapt to Indian playing conditions.
The impact of the partnership can be seen in the caliber of players associated with the program.
Australian greats including Glenn McGrath, Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee have all spent time connected with the Foundation, while Indian cricket has benefited from the development of pace bowlers such as Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and numerous others who helped transform India’s fast-bowling stocks over the past three decades.
More recently, the exchange program has provided valuable overseas experience to emerging Australian players including Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Cooper Connolly, Josh Philippe, Ollie Peake, Corey Rocchiccioli, Joel Davies and Jason Sangha.
The exchange will continue in the opposite direction next month, with a Cricket Australia development squad set to travel to the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai from August 1 for a two-week program. Some of Australia’s most promising young players are expected to be part of the tour, continuing a pathway that has helped develop talent on both sides for more than 30 years.
