New Delhi: Stuart Binny's selection in India's Cricket World Cup squad might have raised a few eyebrows but his Karnataka coaches asserted that the "transformed" all-rounder will prove his critics wrong and be an asset to the team in Australia and New Zealand.
Binny is the lone fast bowling all-rounder in the 15-man squad and expectations will be high from him in the conditions Down Under.
"Stuart can be the all-rounder India is looking for. And considering the conditions in the World Cup, especially New Zealand, he can be very useful for the team. He will be very handy with both bat and ball," Karnataka bowling coach Mansur Ali Khan told PTI.
Batting coach J Arun Kumar concurred with Khan despite being reminded that Binny failed to pick up a wicket in three Tests he has played, all in the pace friendly England. With the bat, he made 118 runs in six innings at 23.60.
The only noteworthy performance in his six ODIs was with the ball and that came against Bangladesh last June, when he bagged six wickets for four runs.
"Stuart was the only fast bowling all-rounder even in the thirty probables picked earlier. He will be very handy with the ball in New Zealand. He is someone who swings the ball a lot and can be useful with the bat either at six or seven," said Arun Kumar, the 39-year-old who played 109 first class matches besides 100 List A appearances.
He went on: "I feel Stuart is more of a batsman than a bowler. Though honestly he is being looked as a bowler batsman. The pitches in Australia should suit his batting style".
Both Khan and Arun Kumar feel Binny has improved as a player since making his international debut last January and put extra effort on his fitness and pace.
"There are a lot of changes since last year when he went to England. He has improved his pace as well as his fitness. He was a very effective outswing bowler earlier but the inswingers were not coming in sharp. But after the Indian team stint in England, I observed it has started to come in sharply.
"He has enough variations to be successful in ODIs, whether it is his slow bouncers or slow balls or conventional swing," said Khan.
