New Delhi: Former fast bowlers Jawagal Srinath and T.A. Sekar on Friday came down hard on Indian team management for poor handling of fast bowlers.

Questioning the attitude of the Indian team and the support staff, Srinath said he was disappointed to see that Indian fast bowlers are bowling at a lesser pace for sake of line and length.

“This is something I can’t understand,” said the former paceman. “Line and length is more of an ODI related thing. It is important but you cannot compromise on pace. Team management should look into this aspect.”

Srinath, along with director of MRF Pace Foundation Sekar, was speaking during a function organised by Gatorade Pacers 2007 to pick up young and talented fast bowlers. The duo has toured four metro cities to select three young kids, who would be given extensive and advanced training.

Srinath felt that young bowlers like Munaf Patel and Irfan Pathan should bowl at top speed at this point of their career. “There is no way a young pacer should drop his pace till the age of 28,” he commented.

The 37-year-old former bowler, who has 237 wickets from 67 Tests, expressed his fear that Pathan might not again make a comeback to the Indian team.

“Personally, I am very disappointed with his downfall,” Srinath said. “It is going to be very tough for him to make a comeback. He has lost out on the advantage he had. So many other youngsters are coming up rapidly.”

Sekar, too, supported Srinath saying dropping of pace should be the last option of a fact bowler. “Bowling in the right line and length is just a jargon used by commentators. For that you don’t need to drop pace.”

“Against England, Munaf was bowling at a pace of 147 kilometres per hour,” Sekar commented. “At present, why he is not bowling at the same pace is something to be looked into. Is it injury or directives from the team management?” he asked.