“Pradeep Sangwan is paying the price of not listening to my advice,” says the former Indian seamer Manoj Prabhakar. Sangwan failed in the dope test just a few days back. Prabhakar said Sangwan's main focus was on getting six-pack abs rather than to be a good fast bowler which is why he was in all this mess right now.
Delhi coach was quoted by Times of India saying, "Nobody was there to advice him about right and wrong. I used to tell him repeatedly that don't work out so much on your upper body muscles as it will affect your bowling. You will become an ordinary bowler. But he did not find it fit to listen to my advice."
He added, "Building body has become fashionable these days. Cricketers are more bothered about their looks and IPL is to be blamed for this. Once I asked Sangwan,'What are you preparing for days' cricket or night parties?"
His advice that possessing muscular and broad shoulders doesn’t add pace to one’s deliveries didn’t get into the head of Sangwan.
Meanwhile the reports in Hindustan Times quoted the pacer saying, "He used tell me that this physique will help bowl at 140kmph. I had told him that time he wouldn't be able to even get to 130 kmph mark and I was right. His bulging body did not allow him to swing the ball.”
"A pacer requires strength in his lower body. Upper body gymming is a curse for a fast bowler. I told him don't use weights to train for upper body," he added.
Prabhakar is quite surprised by Sangwan failing the dope test. Prabhakar said, "He was a brilliant prospect. He used to regularly swing the ball and was very effective. I have not seen an athlete like him. He was so consistent that I used feel he would make India debut before Ishant Sharma. But his slump in form is disappointing.”
Former India seamer and current Delhi coach Sanjeev Sharma, was quoted saying by The Hindu, "Sangwan is a hard working bowler and I hope if he gets sanction, it's not a hefty one. If it's a one season ban he can obviously make a comeback. But two years can be tad too difficult."