Follow the basics and keep things simple is Nehra's mantra

Ashish Nehra knows how to put his theories into practice - and with very successful results. The 22-year-old speedster from Delhi, who has been India's find of the Zimbabwe tour, knows exactly how to bowl in a particular situation and never tries to transcend his limits. He likes to keep things simple and plans his strategies in advance, the way he did for the Zimbabwe tour.

"I decided early not to look for extra pace all the time. I don't think I have bowled as fast as I can on these tracks. Here I have mostly tried to swing the deliveries and maintain a good line and length," Nehra said in an interview to PTI ahead of the final match of triangular one-day series against West Indies tomorrow.

"In Test cricket, speed does matter but you need to concentrate on line and length and get the ball to move," said Nehra who emerged as the highest wicket-taker in the just-concluded Test series against Zimbabwe.

There is a very noticeable change in his bowling strategy in the onedayers and not without reason. "My philosophy is simple: in onedayers, if you bowl maidens, you will get wickets. If you try to look for wickets, you will not only miss wickets but would also go for runs.

"In Test matches, whether it is flat or favourable conditions, I like to maintain line and length and pitch the ball up all the time. If you go for two fours and get a batsman out, you have done your job," he said.

Pitching the ball up is one thing Nehra has done with remarkable success on this tour. And as he says, bowling up to the batsman is crucial but not very easy for a fast bowler.

"It is very easy to bowl a bouncer but very difficult to bowl a yorker. In order to bowl up, you need a lot of power. It is easy to bowl up slowly but it is of no use. You must pitch it up and do so at quick pace. Only when you do so would the ball swing and carry to the wicketkeeper. If the ball is pitched up, the batsman will think twice before driving it."

He did trouble the batsmen a lot, even one of the calibre of Andy Flower. Nehra dismissed him in both the innings of the first Test in Bulawayo.

"I never had any problem against Andy (Flower). On the contrary, I think he had problems against me." An achievement for sure, considering the way Flower has dealt with the Indian bowlers recently.

Nehra, who finds VVS Laxman the most difficult batsman to bowl to, was equally effective with both the new and the old balls and dismissed suggestions that fast bowlers were good only when the ball was new.

"With the old ball, I rely on cutting the ball back in and getting it to reverse swing. The ball can slow up considerably, but then it also skids. Frankly, it is the length that is important," he said.

Nehra's obsession with bowling the right length might seem repetitive but he knows that is what will make him an effective bowler.

"Look at Glenn McGrath. He can bowl six balls in the same area - outside the off stump. If I can bowl five deliveries, I should be okay," Nehra said. "I should be able to read the batsmen, gauge the conditions and bowl to my field." Certainly the mantra for success for every aspiring fast bowler.

Nehra emphasised it was very important for a fast bowler to know his strengths and weaknesses and bowl within his limitations. "You must know what you should do. Where you can bowl, what your limitations are. I never try to overreach myself."

Nehra made history on this tour, but for a dubious reason. He was suspended from bowling for the rest of the innings after being warned thrice in the second innings of the first Test for damaging the pitch in his follow-through.

"As a left-arm paceman there could be an odd moment in four or five overs when you try to bowl too close to the box and run on to the wicket. But one such odd lapse doesn't mean the pitch would be spoiled," he said.

Anyway, Nehra made amends quickly and came back strongly in the second Test.

"I think I am mentally strong. As a fast bowler only 25 per cent of your skill contribute to your success. The remaining 70-75 per cent is all mental and physical. If you are physically strong, you could be one in the mind also," Nehra said.

And in order to increase his contribution to the team, Nehra is working on his batting and fielding too. He stuck around for a long time in the first innings of the Bulawayo Test, remaining unbeaten on nine, and is very agile in the field.

"People may have misgivings about my fielding and batting prowess but I have always felt reasonably confident. It is just that I need match conditions to perform to the best of my ability. At nets, I am never able to bowl at my fastest. The same is true with my fielding. But I give it my everything in the middle," he said.

Zimbabwe was one of the relatively easier assignments and Nehra has already started his preparations for the forthcoming tougher tours of Sri Lanka and South Africa.

"In many respects, I think Sri Lanka will be a tougher tour than even South Africa. There is this thing about humidity in Sri Lanka. Even after bowling just one over, you are dripping with sweat. I don't think you could bowl more than 5-6 overs of sustained pace in those conditions. If I can bowl at my peak for 5-6 overs and do so for 20 overs in a day, I would be happy," Nehra said.