LSG to send bowlers to Durban for training with SA20 team

Lucknow Super Giants are already in IPL mode. With more than three months to go before the start of the season, the franchise is preparing to send its domestic bowlers to South Africa for training. They will fine-tune their skills with players of Durban Super Giants, LSG's South African subsidiary, during the SA20. The SA20 begins on December 26 and will run for a month.

Avesh Khan and Mohsin Khan are in the initial shortlist, and one or two others, such as Naman Tiwari, may also join the group. The bowlers may fly to Durban sometime next week. None of the bowlers mentioned here is contracted to the BCCI or part of their state teams, but to ensure there is no breach of protocols, the franchise is believed to have taken permission from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Lance Klusener, Tom Moody, Bharat Arun and Carl Crowe are part of the support staff of the Durban team, with the latter three also serving on LSG's coaching staff. The idea is to ensure that players who have been out of action for a long time – particularly Avesh and Mohsin due to injuries – can begin their comeback routines and be ready for the IPL, which starts on March 26.

Right-arm pacer Avesh, from Madhya Pradesh, has not played since the last IPL, while Mohsin, a left-arm pacer from Uttar Pradesh, did not feature even in the previous season. Both are believed to be undergoing rehabilitation for their injuries and have slowly started bowling. The Durban stint is expected to help in their recovery and return to action.

The franchise bought Naman Tiwari for INR 1 crore at the Abu Dhabi mini-auction recently, and the 20-year-old left-arm pacer from UP is considered a promising talent. Tiwari is not part of the UP squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the immediate domestic event, and he may also be flown to Durban.